Blood of family, blood of war
by Sand n' Sable
Summary: Jonathon's life from a teenager to Alice formerly known as Jonathon's story
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-This story is about Jonathon and Andy. The first part of this story will be mostly Jonathon at a young age, he never did talk about a brother or really any of his family so this is the background I am giving him. **

A young boy of 13, maybe 14 comes out from the forest and the first thing he sees is smoke...not fog...smoke from cannons and guns. He heard the battle but he didn't see it and now the smoke was slowly disappearing and his young heart sank at what he saw. Bodies, all over the meadow and it didn't matter to him which one was wearing blue or grey, they were dead or near death. Somehow he felt his mother wouldn't want him to see these things or hear but he was.

As he was walking out of the forest, he began to hear moans of those that were still somehow alive, he didn't know what to do so he just walked by as tears streamed down his face but he was looking, looking for somebody and his heart sank as he walked through but as he looked forward, he saw a person coming out of the woods.

This person put his dirty and bloody hand on the tree beside him and he saw the young man and he asks in shock, "Jonathon?" The young boy sees him and with sweet relief clear on his face, he runs and throws his arms around the huge body of the young man and says, "Andrew!" They hug tightly like they will never hug again and it seems like a eternity until they seperate and when they do, the young solgier named Andrew asks his brother, "Jonathon, what are you doing here?". The boy wipes his tears away then he says, "I followed you, I remembered that your last letter home said you were fighting here"

His brother looks at him with love and worry and hugs him again then says with concern in his voice, "But maw and paw, they must be worried sick about you with me being here in the war and now with you up and following me, maw must be out of her mi..." Young Jonathon takes a deep breath then says, "Maw and Paw are dead Andrew" Andrew's eyes widen and color drains from his face then he says, "Good Lord Jonathon, how?"

His young brother looks around and sees the dead bodies and the few men getting up and walking around to try and get some kind of help and realizes that what he is going to tell his older brother is horrible but almost simple compared to what these men went through but he has to tell him and he looks at him and tries to fight the tears and opens his mouth to tell him... .

**A/N-Reviews please.**


	2. Chapter 2 Blood memories

**A/N-This is the story formerly known as Jonathon's Story.**

Before Jonathon told him anything, a flood of memories came to Jonathon...warm memories but it was mostly of his mother, he realized that...he didn't even know if his dad even loved him...his dad was never mean to him but Jonathon didn't even know if he really loved his youngest son.

His earliest memory of his mother is her sweetly kissing him when he was sick in bed but now, he was sick in heart. He looked up at his older brother who was wondering and looking at Jonathon then Jonathon finally told Andrew, "We were going Wyoming, Maw didn't want to stay at the house thinking about you being here in the war and...we were just about to leave Kentucky and go into Indiana when we came upon this group of soldiers from the south, they were nice, really nice Andrew" Andrew shakes his head and silently asks for his brother to go on. "They helped us, they were dirty and stinky but paw didn't mind sharing what we had and a few of them even did hunting for us all! We...had some trouble with the wagon but one of them was a wheel master so they helped us...sniff..."

Tears begin running down young Jonathon's face as her remembers the worst and he gathers inward strength then says, "W-we had said our goodbyes a few weeks ago and we had just crossed the line into the next state when...when..." Andrew's heart pounds and he asks his brother, "What? Jonathon, go on" Jonathon sighs then wipes his face with his sleeve then says, "One of the soldiers told us stories about the Indians, how some were nice but some were mean, mostly because of how they have been treated...so some came by and they were mean, real mean Andrew, paw tried to outrun them but...they shot flaming arrows at the wagon...the wagon caught on fire...the soldiers saw and came and tried to help but, but they couldn't..paw tried to make maw and I jump off, I did but, but for some reason Maw didn't, the last I saw of her she was still in the wagon and the flames..."

Jonathon falls crying into his brothers huge chest and Andrew wraps his arms around his brother and they both cry then Andrew asks Jonathon, "But how did you get here after only a few weeks? That's hundreds of miles to go by yourself" Jonathon tells him, "The soldiers, they did what they could but about a week of traveling, they got word that they were assigned someplace so one of them put me on a train traveling to this part of the state...the soldierput me on the train and told me to stay out of sight, don't let anybody see me or I would get thrown off. I did because I wanted to get to you so bad Andrew, I would have done anything to get here to you" Jonathon cries some more as does his brother then they hear a older voice saying, "Private Garvy..." Jonathon looks up and looks at the older man coming who holds his arm with blood pouring from the arm then Andrew says, "Yes sir?"

The senior officer then asks Jonathon, "How much of the unit is left Private?" Andrew turns his head and looks out at the deadly scene of soldiers dead in the field and only a few walking away then he says back to the officer, "I would say only a third left sir"

"Damn, that's what I was a afraid of" says the officer, Andrew looks at his wound then says, "Excuse me sir but your arm looks like it needs attending" The officer looks at his wound then says, "I was just on my way to see the doctor, come with me Private"

The officer looks at Jonathon and asks, "Who is this?" Andrew thinks on his feet and says, "This is our drummer boy, Jonathon, Jonathon, you remember General Collins?" Jonathon can tell by his brother's eyes that he best say yes and with a slight tremble in his voice, he says, "Y-yes, I do" The officer then asks, "Where's your drum boy?" Andrew bends down and picks up a dirty drum from the ground and says, "Here it is Jonathon"

Jonathon looks at his brother is surprise then says, "You found it!" "You lost it just behind this tree" . Andrew walks away from his brother and goes to Officer Collins while Andrew looks back behind the tree and sees the body of the real drummer boy of that outfit, a boy of about 13, or 14, his same age with his chest near torn apart and the look of death on his face and Jonathon asks, "Now how did I miss that?" He looks at the body of the boy a little bit more then he walks off after his big brother and General Collins.

**A/N-Some of you may be wondering why a General would ask a Private a question but if half your unit was gone, what would you do? Reviews please.**


	3. Chapter 3 Dreams and past times

General Collins had made the very hard and difficult decision to give up his command post and what was left of his men joined another unit. He was a old man and his eyesight was failing, he was reluctant to admit it but three months after Jonathon came to them, he did. Another three months after that, Jonathon had seen more of the war than most boys his age. They were all stumbling into camp, Jonathon was nearly asleep on his feet and he just went over and fell down onto a rolled up sleeping bag somebody had left by a rock by the campfire.

A tall, lanky soldier with blond hair and a long nose, he sees Jonathon fall down asleep on the ground and he says to Andrew, "He's really done more than any drummer boy I've ever seen" "Yeah, let him sleep" They go to sit around the campfire and the blond boy puts down his rifle and takes off his confederate hat and looks at the fire dancing in the night sky then he says, "I thought this war would going to be over after a month" Andrew looks at him and then turns back to the fire and simply says, "We all thought that".

They don't know but as Jonathon deeply sleeps...he dreams of a time from just a few years ago. He dreams of walking through the woods, he looks around at the deep forest trees with the evening light shining though them. He hears the sounds of the woods, the coyotes and wolves letting their voices be heard. He sees a snake but it ignores him and he does the same and he sees it slithering away. He walks a little ways when he sees a rabbit running for its den, a smile creeps across his face then he hears the night birds of the night...a hoot owl. He shivers because he never liked those creatures of God but he goes on until he comes to where he settles for the night.

He dreams of building a fire to keep animals away, he keeps hearing the animal noises but makes himself ignore them as he warms his hand then he rolls out his sleeping bag and scoots himself down to sleep, sleep doesn't come at first for the ten year old boy, he hears the foxes and other animals and the hoot owls but he falls asleep.

The next morning he walks to the roaring stream and listens to the water, he takes off his backpack and takes out some steaming hot biscuits his maw made for him and he takes out a small jug of milk and drinks and eats before he turns and picks up a fishing line.

He has a time but he sets it up to catch fish. He is there for 3 or 4 days but then when he is satisfied that he has enough fish, he leaves the big woods more confidant in himself than he was when he came. Just before he leaves the woods for good, he stops in his track when he sees a deer, a beautiful little doe, he knows she is looking for food so he thinks for a minute then opens his knapsack and pulls out his last biscuit and throws it to the doe...she carefully comes and sniffs it and then eats it and smiling , he walks off.

He moves around on the ground and his brother goes to him and gently awakens him by touching his chin and softly patting his cheek then Andrew asks, "Are you okay Jonathon?" Jonathon sits up and looks around and sees the other men of the camp walking around and not paying attention so his asks his brother softly, "A-Andrew, did paw love me?" Andrew looks at his brother like he is doing a puzzle with a missing piece then he asks, "What kind of question is that? You know he loved you Jonathon" "Well, I was just dreaming about that time that I went into the woods for that old Trapper, what was his name Andrew?"

He thinks on that and says, "Felix I heard one time but everybody just knew him as 'Old man Trapper'...are you talking about that one spring you had to go run lines for him?" Jonathon shakes his head and says, "Yes...it's just that I don't remember Paw being so worried about it is all...I went in the woods and he never did come check on me...not once" Andrew starts to smile then he starts laughing and Jonathon asks, "What is it? what's so funny?" Andrew stops laughing finally and catches his breath then says, "Paw made maw promise not to tell and I guess she never did but Jonathon, paw never did check on you because he was there" Jonathon's eyes go wide as the rocks around the campfire and he asks, "What are you talking about Andrew?"

"You remember how maw was throwing such a fit for you not to go in those woods even for a few days?" Jonathon scratches his head then says, "Yeah, I thought I wouldn't get to go" Andrew laughs then says, "Well, the only reason you got to is because Paw followed you those days and he made sure you didn't see him and he apparently did a good job"

A huge smile comes across Jonathon's face and his eyes light up and the brothers sit up closer together and watch the stars twinkle in the night sky on one of the rew rare nights of the endless war.


	4. Chapter 4 Sometimes it isn't the bullet

**A/N-I did research on this and animals were actually a important part of the war. All kinds of animals were mascots of each unit to boost moral. Please read and enjoy and REVIEW! I love it when you do.**

It was a slow time in the war and the tall solgier who is friends with Andrew is standing around with a huge piece of leather around his arm and a beautiful brown hawk flying around him making the beautiful sounds of a hawk and Andrew and Jonathon watch him in amusement then Andrew says, "You've been fooling around with that hawk for weeks now...do you think you are doing any good?" The blond boy smiles and says, "I'm just having fun, I'm training him" Andrew laughs and says, "Training him? You can't train a hawk"

Just then another solgier comes up and puts down his gun and says, "I don't know, I've seen it once or twice myself" Andrew and Jonathon look at each other and shrug their shoulders and watch the hawk fly around and the blond man asks, "Do you think the war is over and they just didn't tell us?" Jonathon snickers then says, "No Phil, I don't, it's just a slow time" The other solgier says, "Whatever it is, let's enjoy it" Just then Phil whistles and the hawk comes back and lands on his arms and Phil says, "And what better way to enjoy it than with a hawk?" The guys all look at each other and silently agree as Phil gives the hawk a snack of some sorts.

A few days later then men were eating breakfast and all were talking and joking and Andrew asks, "What do you have plan to do with the hawk today Phil?" Phil knows his friend is teasing so he sits back and slowly smiles and says, "I don't know, I may teach him to fetch" That brings a hearty laughter from the men sitting around on rocks and various places nearby eating a single helping of eggs . Food had to be carefully spread around in those days but any laughter you could get was always welcomed.

After Phil put his tinplate and fork in the barrel for the cook to wash, he turns around to go to his tent and five feet from it, somebody shouts "Phil!" and asks him a question that makes him laugh then he turns around and barely puts a foot in front of him when he sees one of the most dangerous things to man, a rattlesnake in all its raging glory! He is rattling his rattlers and showing his fangs...Phil is frozen is his steps and except for breathing, he hardly moves and Andrew comes running and he says, "Lord have mercy" and he starts to looks for something, anything to get the snake but then before he knows it, the hawk that Phil has been training and taking care of comes and starts a hell raising fight with the snake! Phil realizes what is going on and he swells with pride and yells encouragement and the other men gather around and cheer the hawk on! So much commotion is going on that even General Collins comes out and when he realizes what is going on, he holds in his cheers like the men under him but he smiles a mile wide.

Eventually, the snake falls dead and the hawk flies up to the top of Phil' s tent and sits like the majestic bird he is while the men clap. A man who is obviously the camp's cook comes over and he picks up the dead rattler who still twitches, the cook looks up and down then says, "Yep, big enough to be put in chili" He takes the snake and walks off while the men silently groan and somebody says, "Well, they are good to eat" Just then General Collins clears his throat and says, "Private Dunning!" Phil turns around and salutes him then asks, "Yes sir?" "That was a excellent example of your hawk fighting that rattlesnake but now I want you to do something" Phil looks at him in curiosity then General Collins says, "I know your hawk hasn't done so but we got a few chickens now from that friendly farmer down the road, I want you to build a chicken pen with a cover for them" Phil inwardly sighs and says, "Yes sir!" with a snappy salute and Collins goes back inside and he looks and Andrew and Jonathon and they laugh while the hawk looks around.

A few weeks later, General Collins comes out and says to another soldier of a lower rank and says, "Lt., assemble the troops" "Yes sir!" He salutes him then turns around and goes out to the middle of the camp yard then says, "General Collins has something to announce! Get in line!" All the men assemble in rank and order then Collins comes out to the front with his second in command and he says in a loud voice, "I have just received word from the front lines that we are to gather with the unit in Sunsville!"

All the men look at each other then the General says, "I know it is 20 miles away but I belive in this unit!" More pride grows in themselves and Collins says, "We have been trained by the best! All of us and I will insist on each soldier carrying themselves a canteen of water!" They all say, "Yes sir!" General Collins then says, "Private Griffith!"

A slim soldier comes forth with a snappy salute and says in a loud voice, "Yes sir!" "You and a another soldier of your choosing will fill each and every canteen for the men! That's your order!" "Yes sir" He clicks his heel and goes back in line then Collins ends his speech by saying, "We will leave at 0500! I suggest you all go to bed early! Dismiss!" Each of the men look at each other and drift off and Andrew tells his younger brother, "Well, you heard him, let's get to bed" . Jonathon shrugs his 14 year old shoulders and they go off to their tent.

A few days later, the men are hot and tired. Phil looks up and sees his hawk flying in the air gracefully and he says in a short, hard breath, "I...wish...I was...up...there...look..." Jonathon looks at his brother with concern in his eyes and Andrew asks, "Phil, have you drank some water?" Phil looks at him then says, "I drank it...all...so ...hot...can't take..." Andrew's eyes bluge out then before he can take another breath, Phil collapses and Andrew catches him and hollers out, "Phil!" General Collins takes notice of the holler and puts his hand up for everybody to stop and then he races his horse back and asks, "What's wrong?" Jonathon says, "I don't know, he just told us that he didn't have any more water and just collapsed"

General Collins then says, "Sunstroke, I've seen it before, how is he?" Andrew turns around and sees his face and checks his friends pulse then looks at the General then says, "Dead sir" Jonathon looks in horror.

A few hours later, all the soldiers gather around Phil's grave and General Collins comes to Andrew and asks, "Are you sure we did the right thing? Burying him in the middle of nowhere? Didn't he have a family?" Andrew shakes his head then says, "No sir, his folks died a while back, there was no one but us"

General Collins turns and goes and gets on his horse and signals for everybody to follow and Andrew and Jonathon start to go but they watch Phil's hawk circle in the sky and then land on the handmade cross one of the soldiers made.

Jonathon and Andrew turn to leave and Jonathon stops and thinks then calls for the hawk like Phil taught him and the hawk follows the troop.

Nobody can see, but Phil's ghost stands and watches his unit leaves with the hawk. He gives a final salute.


	5. Chapter 5 Reward for duty

A great battle was going on just outside the city of Sunsville, the smoke from cannons and rifles were filling the blue sky, the men were filling up the meadow from one end to the other. General Collins was sitting dejectly upon his horse and beside him was his 2nd in command and they were watching the battle and from the look of thier faces, the battle was not going in their favor. Just then Andrew comes up faint of breath and with dirt and sweat all over him and he pratically falls on the horse and says, "General, I don't know what we are going to do , it's going bad, what men we had left...I don't know" Collins sighs then says, "I know private, if I can only get word to the major over there in the woods, I could tell him what to do" The 2nd in command thinks then says, "Can't we send a message with mirrors, you know like s.o.s?"

Collins thinks on that then says, "No, the enemy may know that also, can't take a chance...if there was only some other way" Just then Phil's hawk comes flying around and sits on a limb on a tree nearby and General Collins says, "I would have thought that bird would quit hanging around a long time ago" He moves himself around in the seat and Andrew looks at the beautiful brown hawk then says, "General, I have a idea" Collins looks at him doubtfully then asks, "What?" Andrew calls for the hawk to come and get on his arm and he turns to the General and says, "Sir, write your orders to the major" Collins looks at the bird and back at him then says in disbelief, "You don't mean?..." "Well, we won't know until we try, sir" The General asks his 2nd for paper and pencil and Andrew puts it in the claws of the bird and whispers something to it then lets it loose in the direction of the men on the other side of the forest and wait to see what happens.

The magestic bird flies through the air in a beaitiful glide and then they see him fly by bullets then finally lands at his destination of the Major. They all wait in antcipation then they see the Major waves his arms to let them know he got the message and Andrew and the General and his 2nd in command smile. Then they don't know it but the Major gives new orders to his men and they eventally see a new turn around in the fightening and after a while, they see a white flag come up from the other side and Andrew and the General and the other man cheer and Collins says, "Private, go help your men"

Andrew runs down there and they round up P.O.W's and General Collins says to his man, "I never would have thought that damn bird would have been able to do that"

The other man says, "Thank God it did" They smile as they see the men rounded up.

{

A few days later in the camp, all the men are in formation and General Collins yells out, "Private Garvy! Front and center!" Andrew comes with his heart pounding and he gives a snappy salute then says, "Yes sir!" Collins then says, "For helping us in the field the other day in the battle of Sunsville and for duty beyound, you are hearby promoted to 2nd Private!" The General puts on Garvy's medal and salutes him as Jonathon stands by proudly. Jonathon starts to turn to go back in line with his campmates but then Collins says, "2nd Private, call the bird" Andrew looks at him with a puzzled look then he gives the whistle and the hawk comes to land on his arm then General Collins says, "I never thought I would do this but this hawk did something herioc for us all the other day. The battle was going bad and 2nd Private Garvy had the idea of sending a message by this hawk to Major Phillips. So I am giving this hawk a name and I think Phil is appropiate and his own rank...Private Phil"

All the men hoot and holler and the hawk gives his own squal in appreciation and Andrew lets the bird free. Then Collins says, "Dismiss!" Collins goes back to his tent to do work and the men all gather around Andrew to congrantulate him then Jonathon comes up and the hug.

{

Later that night, a gigantic fire is made in camp to help celebrate the promotion of the promation of Andrew and the hawk who was givien the name Phil and Andrew sees all the men have a funny grin on thier faces and he asks, "What's going on?" One of the men says, "Well, Henry here went down to that pig farmer down the road and bought one of his good pigs with the money we collected and we were able to get a fair pig so that's what we are eating...we're having a good meal for once" A man wearing a apron shouts indiagntly, "For once! I make good meals all the time!" The men smiles and Andrew says, "You know what they mean, we don't always have something this good and you know it you old dodger" The cook understands and he smiles but he leaves in a 'huff' then after then eat 'high off the hog' literally, the man named Henry says, "Now that we got our bellies full, let me tell you a story" Jonathon asks, "THis isn't going to be one of your ghost stories is it?" Henry looks at him and says, "Yeah, and if your young hide can't take it, go crawl into your tent and go to sleep"

Jonathon smiles and Henry starts his story while the real ghost of the camp, Phil listens and smiles.


	6. Chapter 6 Lullaby

**A/N-I have done research on this and have a very good friend do research with me, Ultimatelaurafan, you rock girl. I will be trying to stay true to history but my imagination may come into play. Please forgive me. Read and enjoy.**

It was a year since that day of Andrew's promotion, it was night time and it was a hot night so most of the men, if not all had elected to sleep outside under the stars . A small campfire was made but mostly for light, the men made sure to sleep far from the heat of it, the night time animals was making their sounds...the crickets, the nearby frogs from a pond someplace close, a old hoot owl that made Jonathon shiver but he wasn't going to say anything to men in fear of being made fun of.

Jonathon laid near Andrew in the closing darkness, not many of the men knew that they were both brothers, they still believed he was the drummer boy who survived that earlier battle where Jonathon and Andrew met up. Suddenly Andrew sat up and he said, "Hey, Ira!" A young man in his middle 20's and clearly of a Jewish decsent looks at his friend and asks, "Yes?" Andrew looks around and says, "I'm tired of going to sleep every night with the sounds of the animals, don't get me wrong, they give good sounds to sleep by...why don't you give us something to sleep by on that music thing of yours?"

Ira smiles then some other soldier smugly says, "Oh, why are you asking that Jew guy?" Andrew and Jonathon look at each other and Andrew rolls his eyes and says very dryly, "Mike, hell is full of stupid people, don't be one" Ira smiles at his friend standing up for him then he looks at his bugle and thinks then comes out with a slow tune then one by one the men fall asleep.

{

A few weeks later Ira calls the troops to fall in line and General Collins comes out, trying to hide a smile on his face then he says, "Word has just come to me that by orders of our President Abraham Lincoln, the war will be over in just a matter of days to a week!" All of the war weary and worn out bunch of soldiers comes alive by throwing up their calvary hats in the air and cheering and they all hug and slap each other on the back then Andrew turns to his little brother and says, "Did you hear that? the war ..." Before another word is spoken, a shot rings out and hits Andrew square in the back...he falls to the ground dead. Jonathon and all the other men look out to the other side of the lake to see the other side cheering and laughing at the death of a man.

Collins throws his hat to the ground swearing while Jonathon tries to stops the tears from his eyes.

**A/N-The research that my friend and I have done shows that there was a early and rough version of 'Taps' and it was orginlly meant as a lullaby for the men and a man named Butterfield came up with the newest version.**

**Please don't hate me but I saw it this way as Jonathon never mentioned a brother on the show and...sometimes a person is so devestad by the death of a loved one that they never mention them ever again in life.**


	7. Chapter 7 Jailtime

It is five years later, Jonathon is 19 years old and a angry young man. At that moment, he is in a bar, chairs are flying and and at least one table is broke in two, shouts of obsenceity is being shouted out by all the men everywhere and the barmaids cringe in terror while trying not to show it.

Just then the town sheriff walks or rather stomps in the saloon and he looks at a gray haired old man who just points with this thumb to Jonathon and the tall sheriff just goes over to Jonathon without looking at others and grabs him and says, "Okay, you just come on with me!" Jonathon looks at him through a drunken haze and asks, "Who are you?" The sheriff looks at him then says, "Right now, your only friend" Jonathon tries to hit a imaginary person and says, "I don't need any friends!" The sheriff smiles and says, "Come on, let's get you out of here before you do any real damage" Somehow the thin, scrawny sheriff is able to drag the stronger and younger Jonathon out of there. Everybody inside the saloon sighs of relief and drinks in silence as if thanking God that they are alive!

The jail is not far from where the saloon is at so by the time they get there, Jonathon is practically asleep on the sheriff's shoulder's, the sheriff unlocks the cell door and helps Jonathon lay down on the cell cot. After Jonathon lays down for awhile, a memory which is a long ago nightmare comes to him...he remembers that day that his brother was shot and cruelly killed in the days just before the war ended. Andrew falling in front of him, the men across the pond laughing in victory...the burial of his brother and General Collins given him his sympathies and telling him that nothing could be done since his brother was killed in wartime. Phil the Hawk flies around giving his hawk sounds with sound like cries of grief...the dirt hitting his brother's coffin and Jonathon staring at the grave long after the comrades have left.

Jonathon wakes up with sweat pouring over his body, he looks around and sees the bar cells and the sheriff pouring coffee and the sheriff asks, "Are you okay?" Jonathon rubs his face and stubble of a beard coming on his face then he asks, "Yes, I'm fine, why?" The sheriff shrugs his shoulders then says, "You were mumbling in your sleep, just wondering if everything's okay" Jonathon asks, "Did you understand anything?" The takes a sip of his coffee then says, "Nope...do you want some coffee?" Jonathon looks at him in surprise then says, "Yes, please" The sheriff gets up to pour some in another cup then says, "Sure thought you would have slept tough to morning with the drunk you got on" Jonathon stands up and accepts the coffee then sits back down and takes a sip then says, "Guess not" After a few minutes of silence, he asks the sheriff, "How big of a mess did I make back there?" The sheriff asks, "You mean the saloon back there?" Jonathon nods his head then the sheriff says, "Nothing that owner hasn't seen before but there was a few tables and chairs that needs repairing"

Jonathon takes a sip then says, "Don't have any money to pay" The sheriff nods his head then Jonathon hears a hoot owl then looks up and sees the beautiful rare white owl just outside the window and he feels his old shiver up his spine then asks, "What's that doing here?" The other man puts down his coffee cup then says, "You aren't going to believe this but that bird is more or less the town mascot" Jonathon laughs then asks, "What?" "Yeah, about a couple of years ago the town was going through a real dry spell, everything was going bad and then that thing flew in and of coarse everybody thought it was all over for this town but...they say if you even look at it, good luck comes your way" Jonathon then asks him, "How do you keep people from killing it?" The sheriff then says, "There's a 500 dollar fine if you kill it" Jonathon looks in shock then the sheriff says, "Town council voted on it a few months ago, some idiot tried it and well...lets just say the doc was busy for a while anyway, I figured you didn't have any money so I'll give you some information, just outside of town is a logging crew, cutting down trees for some big wigs, good money if you want it" Jonathon shakes his head then says, "Appreciate it" "By the way, name's Sheriff Arness"

Jonathon shakes his head then looks back up at the owl and shakes his head.

**A/N-The town sheriff is based after the actor James Arness who just passed away, sorry if it's misspelled.**


	8. Chapter 8 Beaver Pass

Jonathon and Sheriff Arness walked out of the jailhouse the next morning and they stopped to see the busy town, Jonathon stretched his body then asked, "Where are we anyway? I never even asked anybody the name of the town" The sheriff snickers then says, "We call this place Beaver Pass" Jonathon steps down into the dirt and kicks some around then asks, "Where's this logging camp?" The sheriff looks around then says, " 3 or 4 miles out of town" Jonathon rubs his face with his hand then says, "Guess I better be going, thanks for all your help Sheriff" The sheriff shrugs his shoulders and says, "Glad to be of help"

Jonathon then turns and heads off for the logging camp and the sheriff keeps looking after him until Jonathon is headed well out of town and then the sheriff hears the hoots of the old owl and he smiles and goes in.

{

The closer Jonathon gets to the logging camp, the more he hears the noise of the camp, the saws going through the trees, the hollering of a man warning of a tree falling down and men talking when just as he enters, he happens to look down and sees a shiny penny gleaming in the sun and he bends down and picks it up and he tosses it in the air then grabs it and puts it in his pocket.

He heads on down to the camp and he asks around for the man in charge and he turns and goes several feet until he reaches a old man and asks, "I hear there might be a opening here" The old man looks up from his papers then says, "There might be, might I ask your name?" "Jonathon Garvy" "Well, Jonathon, if you can show me how good a job you can do by noon, you got the job" Jonathon looks around the camp and asks, "Where do you want me to start?" The boss looks over at a man standing by a huge tree with a double handed saw in hand and he points his thumb to him and says, "Start with helping him and take it from there"

Jonathon goes over to the man with the saw and says, "The man said for me to help you" "Yeah...to see what you can do" The man says it with a sneer then says, "Yeah, let's see what you can do" Jonathon takes his end of the saw and they do the job in half the time it usually takes.

A few hours later after easily doing the job, a man is trying to put a tree on a logging wagon and he huffs and puffs and says, "I use to do this easily" He keeps trying and inch by inch pulling it up on the wagon but then the next thing he knows, somebody picks up the other end very easily, like picking up air and the man looks back and sees that it is the young man named Jonathon. Jonathon says, "You said you wanted this up on the wagon, let's get this going" Jonathon shakes his finger to get going and they get the log on the wagon and Jonathon barely breaks a sweat.

When the noon whistle blows, the man comes over to Jonathon and says, "If you want it, you got a job here" Jonathon shakes his head then says, "Yes sir" The man says, "The pay is $ 10.00 a day" Jonathon whistles and the man says, "Well, we ain't exactly skipping rocks here, by the way, name is Sam Higgings" They shake hands and Jonathon says, "I'll be here bright and early Mister Higgings" "Mister Higgings was my paw, call me Sam" Jonathon smiles then turns to leave with a slightly better spring in his steps.

{

When Jonathon gets back to Beaver Pass, he looks around for a boarding house or someplace to stay and he sees a blue building with a half moon painted on the top of it and the words-'Beaver Pass's Sleep Inn' and he starts to go but half way to the building, he stops dead in his tracks when he sees a BEAUTIFUL girl of about 16 with a perky little nose and the most wonderful sparkling gray eyes and she has long, soft brown hair and she's in a black smock with a gray skirt and she holds a black umbrella There is a slightly older woman in front of her asking, "How much is a ticket for two to Minneapolis, Minnesota?"

"$ 16 dollars ma'am" She hands him the money and she turns to the girl and says, "Come on Alice" "Yes ma'am" . The two women go to sit down in some chairs by the stagecoach station and Jonathon, after carefully watching them for awhile hides behind the station, the station manger watches him with a gleam in his eye then about 10 minutes later, the stagecoach shows up and the young lady and the woman try to pick up the three bags with trouble and Jonathon strides out and 'happens' to run into then and says while lifting his hat, "Excuse me ladies, I should have watched where I was going"

"Perfectly fine, you didn't hurt a thing, we were just going to go get on the stagecoach" Jonathon and the young Alice exchange glances and smiles. "Here, let me help with you with your bags...um, my name is Jonathon Garvy" The elder woman smiles then says, "I'm Elma Beningford and this is my daughter Alice" Jonathon nervously shakes his head and he helps the ladies to the stagecoach and on and when the stagecoach leaves, he throws his hat in the air and yells, "God Bless America!" Then whoops and runs around town.

**A/N-Yes, the young girl is THE Alice! They never did have Alice a madien name that I could find so I made up one. If you know of one, 'scuse me. Please keep reading the adventures, never know what's around the corner.**


	9. Chapter 9 Logging camp

**A/N-In the last chapter, I was told I was unacurate giving Jonathon a too much of a pay day, for that I'm sorry, I do try to keep this accurate but I make mistakes but please keep informing me! Please keep reading and reviewing.**

It was a few months later, Jonathon was still in Beaver's Pass and still working in the logging camp...he had also been in town long enough to catch the eyes of some of the elgible ladies in town but his mind was still on the image of one.

Jonathon was sitting in a chair in front of the sheriff's office with the sheriff and he says, "You know Jonathon, you keep hanging out around here and people are going to think you are my deputy" Jonathon laughs at that then asks him, "Is that you're way of saying for me not to hang around here?" That time Sheriff Arness says, "No, not at all, you're welcome to, I like your company...gets lonely around here sometimes" Jonathon smiles and they both see a young lady and a pretty red and white striped blouse and long brown skirt crossing the street and she smiles at Jonathon and the sheriff says, "You know Jonathon, I've noticed that you have been around here long enough to see that you have caught the eye of almost every single lady in these parts" Jonathon thinks on that then says, "I can't say I haven't noticed and I've been out with a few of them but I plan on being here for a few more months, mister Higgings says the logging job with be over in a few months and I best be moving on" .

The shrieff scratches his head then says, "I'm sorry to hear that Jonathon, you'll be missed but I know a young man like yourself needs to move on" "Speaking of the job, I best be going, the morning is moving on" "Have a good day Jonathon" The sheriff tells Jonathon and Jonathon gets up and walks the familer path to the logging site.

{

The morning progress's as usual in the logging site, some men chop down trees and others are hauling them on wagons. Jonathon takes a small break for a drink of water from the water barrell when he sees the same young lady that he saw in Beaver's Pass. He smiles slightly when he sees her and she waves to him and signals for him to come over and he goes over and he says, "Hello Bethany" She smiles as bright as a sunflower and she says just as sweetly, "Hello Jonathon" He asks her, "What are you doing here? this is not exactly a safe place for a woman" She smiles and reaches in the small bucket she has with her and says, "I made a peach pie today and I bought you a couple of slices for your lunch" He smiles and says, "Why that sounds just perfect for this hot day" She reaches in for the pies when Jonathon hears, "Hey Jonathon!" He turns around and sees his boss Sam Higgings starting to load a fell tree and he smiles and says, "Get back to work Jonathon! You're needed out here!" Jonathon waves at him and Bethany asks, "Who's that?" He turns back to Sam and says, "That's my boss" Bethany says, "Nice that you have a hands on boss" Jonathon says, "Yes,..." Out of the side of his eye, he sees Sam loading the tree and he sees a nearby tall tree fall down toward Sam and Jonathon hands the pies back to Bethany and he starts running to Sam and yells, "Sam!" Jonathon barely reaches Sam and pushes him out of the way as the tree falls.

{

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, Minnesota ...a young Alice sits in a beautiful palor with a young man in his late 20's. Alice has on a pretty gray blouse and a long gray skirt and she sips tea out of a beautiful china cup with a pink rose on it and the man says, "You know Alice, when you were gone several months ago for those few days, I missed you something awful and I don't know think I want to go though that again" She smiles, then says, "Thank you Harold but we had to go to momma's brother's funeral in West Virginia" He takes a sip of the tea then says, "I know but I sure did miss you..."

They go silent then he finally says after a few minutes, "Alice, if I recall rightly, your mother said you would be 17 next month" She blushes and says, "Yes...August 17th"

He goes silent again then says, "You'll be a young lady" . She takes a sip then says, "I'm already a young lady" He clears his throat then says, "Yes, you are but a man might be braver to ask a question, a very special question" She goes quiet and they just enjoy being with each other.

**Kind reviews please.**


	10. Chapter 10 John 15:13

**A/N-I'm a little bit later with this chapter than I would like to be but I got the wind knocked out of me yesterday, I do hope you enjoy this chapter! I would like to thank Ultimatelaurafan for helping me in certain passeages.**

Two men helped drag Jonathon into a cabin with only a few things inside of it, a big fireplace, a table for eating with 5 chairs around it, a heater for the room and a single bed, that's what they took Jonathon over to. The men gently lay him down and Sam Higgings says, "One of you go get the doc" Just then they hear a female voice saying, "I'll go get him Mister Higgings, I'm the faster than all of you" Sam turns around and says, "Thank you young lady, now shoo!" Bethany turns and goes to the town of Beaver Pass in the fastest hurry she can.

{

A little while later, a older man with grey hair, glasses and a dark gray suit on, puts strips of bandages on Jonathon's chest and he grumbles, "Never ceases to amaze me how a man can hurt himself" Just then a booming voice says, "Now don't get on him too much doc, from what I hear he did it to save Sam from that tree" The doctor looks around then says, "Didn't know you where here Sheriff" Sheriff Arness smiles then says, "In this small town , you can't keep news like this down, anyway, I'm not a Bible reading man but it seems to me the good book says something like a man giving his life for a friend" Bethany speaks up and says, "'**Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15: 13'" **The sheriff smiles and says, "Thank you Bethany" Sam then speaks up and says, "Is he going to be okay doc Abram?" Jonathon groans then the doc says, "He'll be okay but he's not going to work the rest of the time, I can tell you that" Jonathon weakly says, "I ...need...the money...doc" "What you need to do is stay in that bed, I'll let you know when you can get out!" The doc then gathers up his supplies to leave and Sam says, "He'll stay in that bed if I have to hire guards on him!"

Jonathon barely smiles and the sheriff says, "I'll go with you back to town doc...Jonathon, you best mind, I know doc's wife and she's been know to get madder than a bantam hen when people don't mind her husband so you stay in that bed" Sam then says, "Don't worry doc, you'll get paid" The doctor waves his hand then says, "Oh, I'm a old man, my wife and I don't need more than a couple of old chickens" Sam says, "I know you need more than that old man, the stuff you have in that office was made by cavemen!" "Hmpf!"

The funny little doctor stomps off then Jonathon says, "Sheriff, I thought that owl was supposed to bring good luck" Sheriff Arness smiles then says very slowly, "I'd say it was luck that you lived...don't you?" Everybody smiles and the sheriff closes the door then a few minutes later, it opens again and in comes another middle aged man and he says, "Mister Higgings! The cook just quit!" Sam grabs his hat off his head and throws it to the floor and says, "Dad burn it! what else can happen today?" Bethany snaps her head up and says, "Oh please mister Higgings, can I try out for that?" He scratches his chin then says, "Well, I don't know Jonathon then speaks up as much as he can then says, "She was bringing me a peach pie...sure smells good" She proudly hands up the peach pie and Higgings smells it and gets it and tastes it then says, "Hmmmm, sure smells good but a cook has to be able to cook more than a pie, can you make something else?" She brightens up and says, "I sure can! I can have you a meal put together in no time! just watch me!" "Well, you just go on out to the camp cook place little lady, any of those hands out there will show you the way" She runs out there like a busy bee and he says to the bunch inside, "We just may finally have us a cook"

They all smile and Jonathon lays back and they wait for a meal.


	11. Chapter 11 Bethany

It had been four weeks since the accident and Jonathon was up and trying to walk around, he was still very sore but he was tired of being in bed. He had got himself out of bed and taken it slow, he managed to get himself dressed. He walked slowly into the town of Beaver Pass. The closer he got the more he heard the wagon's moving, the women and men moving about the various stores and of coarse he then catches sight , the town's own hoot owl and he watches it for a minute then laughs to himself and goes on in the town further and he walks and looks around the town almost like he is seeing it for the first time.

He steps up on the porch of the town's mercantile and he sees Bethany, the cook from the logging camp where he works and Jonathon is not blind, he sees that she is smitten with him. Bethany sees Jonathon and smiles but then Jonathon takes notice of something...the young man who is taking packages in and out of the store behind him has his eye on Miss Bethany. Jonathon smiles as a idea comes to him and Bethany stands in front of him and says, "Jonathon" Her face brightens as she says his name and he tips his hat to her and says, "Bethany" . The young man comes out again, this time wearing some animal skin gloves and he says, "Howdy Miss Bethany" She looks at him and says, "Hank" Hank takes a extra moment to softly look at the sweet lady in front of him.

Hank goes to the back to unload the boxes out of the wagon and Jonathon asks Bethany, "He's a nice man isn't he?" Bethany shrugs her shoulders then says, "Yes, he's a nice boy" She stresses the word boy and he then says, "I think he has a eye for you Bethany" She blushes then says, "I'm not interested in him, I'm interested in, well,...you" He smiles and takes a breath then says, "I'm flattered Bethany, I really am but..." Bethany then says, "Oh, you don't find me attractive, oh, what a fool I am" He shakes his head then says, "You are attractive Beth, very attractive. But I'm..." "Not intrested? Well, if you give it time..." He finishes her sentence and says, "That's just it Bethany, I'm not going to be here" She looks up at him and with her beautiful face, asks a question and he says, "Bethany, I never planned on staying around here...I only got a job to pay back for what I owed and I needed some money to support myself as I go " Bethany then asks him, "Go where?" He shakes his head then says,

"Well, I don't rightly know...just traveling...going out west someplace" A sweet memory of Alice and hearing the words " 'Minneapolis, Minnesota" . Bethany then asks him, "Out to California?"He shakes his head and says, "That's just it, I don't rightly know...I don't know where I'm going. Might be California, Might be Oregon; might be someplace else...I'm restless, ain't no fair for a woman like you to tag along with a man who doesn't have no plans to settle down...lest not for a long time" Pricks of tears come to her eyes and Jonathon says, "You're made for a town like Beaver Pass...you got roots here and I have a feeling that as good as cook you are, you would be wasted on a traveling timberwolf like me but I'm sure a good man like Hank back there would appreciate you" She shyly looks at Hank in the back getting more boxes out of the wagon and for the first time she really looks at the tall, lanky blond boy and she says, "Well, I think I would like to get to know him more" Jonathon says, "Well, go on. No time like now" She turns and looks at him and smiles and says, "I'm sure glad I got to know you Jonathon" He smiles back at her and he says, "I am too. Go on, get to know him" She turns and walks over to him just as he is coming back to the store with a heavy box in his arms and when he sees her, he smiles and they walk into the mercantile together.

Jonathon watches Bethany and Hank then he hears, "That was a nice thing you did Jonathon" He turns and sees Sheriff Arness and he smiles and says. "Best thing for her" The sheriff walks over to him and says, "You serious 'bout leaving?" Jonathon says, "Yes I am"  
>Shreriff Arness then says, "Well, I hate to hear that. You've been a good friend but this is good timing" Jonathon looks at him with a puzzled look then asks, "What do you mean?" "I mean I got a job for you for your travels, come on in and I'll tell you about it"<p>

Jonathon follows his friend into the sheriff's office to find out about this new job.

**A/N-Please forgive me for taking so long in updating but I wanted this chapter to really be warm! I got inspired by the help of a good friend.**


	12. Chapter 12 Meeting Bess and finding work

Jonathon turned and followed Sheriff Arness into the office and he saw a young woman, just a few years older than him. She has red hair and wearing a old, yellow cowboy hat but what really surprised Jonathon is that the woman had on tan colored britches and a yellow shirt and Sheriff Arness says, "Jonathon, this is Bess Richards, Bess, this is Jonathon" Bess and Jonathon shake hands and she says, "Hello Jonathon" Jonathon is still surprised but he just smiles and tips his hat and says, "Hello ma'am" "Now, now of this ma'am stuff, name is Bess and I expect you to call me that" "Yes...Bess" She smiles and the sheriff says, "Jonathon, Bess needs somebody to help her take a load of furs to Kansas and I thought of you Jonathon"

Jonathon looks at the sheriff and says, "Thank you Sheriff..." He looks back at Bess then says, "We'll have to go through Missouri, how far into Kansas?" "It's a town called Drywood, it's in the northwest part of the state, close to Iowa. I figure it will take a good three to four weeks, counting having to stop and rest" Jonathon thinks on that then says, "That sounds about right, how much is the job?" She then says, "I can only pay 75 cents a day, is that all right?" He smiles then says, "Just right" They laugh and shake hands then she says, "I figure we can leave at the end of the week mister...?"

"Jonathon Garvey but just call me Jonathon" He tells her then she says, "I figure we can get some things we need done by Friday then we'll be on our way" He shakes his head then says, "I'll be ready...see you later Miss Richards, sheriff" "It's Bess" He smiles and turns and goes outside and when he steps out he sees Bethany walking across the street with Hank, the young man working in the store and he smiles.

{

At the end of the week, Jonathon and Bess are in front of the sheriff's office loading up two pack mules and getting their horses ready to ride when Sheriff Arness comes out and Bethany comes up with two small packages in her hands and Jonathon's boss, Sam Higgings and Bethany says, "Ahem, well, I, I, made some sandwiches for you and Miss Bess for the day, I know it's hard to find food when your traveling...my dad...well..." Jonathon just smiles and takes the sandwiches from her and he says, "Thank you Bethany" He turns around and puts them in the saddlebags then sheriff Arness comes and he says, "I sure hate to see you leave Jonathon. I'm glad to have met you and been your friend" Jonathon shakes his hand then says, "I'm glad to have been your friend too Sheriff and I will write and let you know how things are" Sheriff Arness shakes his head and says, "Thank you Jonathon" Jonathon then walks over to Sam and Sam is trying to hold in his emotions by scratching his nose and looking around then Jonathon says, "You did a lot for me Sam by hiring me and taking care of me when I busted my ribs" Sam looks embarraassed and says, "Oh, Bethany did most of that by feeding you...she's the best da..." Sam looks at Bethany and Bess then says, "She's the best darn cook this side of the Mississippi..." He looks around then says, "Goodbye...you take care of yourself" They hug and Bess says, "Goodbye James" Jonathon gets up on the horse then asks, "James?" Bess gets up on her horse and pats him on the neck then says, "That's his name" Jonathon then says, "It's good to know that your mother didn't name you Sheriff" Sheriff Arness smiles, tips his hat and waves goodbye to his friend and Hank steps out of the store he works at and waves as Bethany comes over to him and Jonathon hears the screech of the town's white owl and he looks at the beautiful bird fly around the town and he leaves the town that he has known for home for the past 5-6 months.

{

As the morning goes on, they travel through beautiful paririe land and they go in forests that are thick with brush one minute and thin the next but each sight in nearly unforgetable. Then Bess looks up at the sun in the sky and she says, "It's nearly noon as I see it. You want to stop and eat those sandwhiches that friend of yours made?"

He smiles and says, "You don't have to ask me twice" He gets down and gets the sandwiches out of the saddlebags and he opens and gets them out and looks to see what kind they are and Bess asks, "What are they?" He smiles and says, "Apple butter and ham!" Bess ties the horse reigns to a bush and then turns and says, "Sounds fine to me" He hands her one and he says, "When I was leaving this morning, one of the guys I work with gave me this..." He also gets out of his bag a jug of buttermilk and two tin cups and he pours and gives one to Bess and she says, "Oh, thank you" "I'm afraid it will have to be water after this, he only had enough for today" "Oh, that's okay, just fine"

They go to sit down on a rock to eat and drink thier food and mid way though the sandwich, she stops and says, "I could tell by your expession when you met me the other day, you were shocked" Embarressed, he finishes chewing and takes a drink then says, "Well, yes ma'...Bess, you could say that. It's just that I've never seen a woman in britches before" She smiles and takes a bite then says, "Let me tell you about that" Jonathon then says, "You don't owe me anything" She takes a drink of the buttermilk then says, "I wanna, we're going to be together for a few more weeks and I think we ought to get to know each other to trust one another..." He shakes his head and takes a bite of his sandwich and Bess goes on with her story, "One thing that James...the sheriff didn't tell you about is that I'm the widow Richards...my husband died a few years back..." She wipes a tear away then says, "There was a accident in the mine where he worked and well...these are the last of the furs he had got when he trapped on the side and I finally made up my mind to go take them off to go sell them" He fineshes his sandwich and takes the last drink of his milk then goes over and looks at them and says, "They are in good shape to be a few years old" She smiles a mile wide and says, "My husband built a fine ice house to store them in but like I said, I figure now was the time to sell them...I sent my son on ahead to my parnets. They live in south Kansas and that's how I found out about this man to sell them to. They said he would give me a fair price and the best price for them" She finishes her sandwich and Jonathon says, "Well, we best get going" She gets up and goes over to her horse and so does Jonathon then they hear a low growl and Jonathon slowly turns around and he sees a huge Mountain Lion growling and slowly coming toward them.


	13. Chapter 13 Shawnee  Indians

**A/N-I'm sorry for taking so long but I hope you really enjoy this chapter that I have written with some help from Ultimatelaurafan.**

Jonathon and Bess stood in shock and with fear from Mountain Lion coming toward them , their breaths were short and their hearts were beating like drums then they heard the whinny of their horses, they sensed the danger and then the both of them ran off. He didn't blame them, they were only getting away as far as they could.

As he saw the horses run off in the corner of his eyes, he then saw the Mountain Lion lunge for Bess in the other. He saw the lion claw her from the inside of her elbow to her hand and he saw how she kept backing up and then she tripped over her own feet and she fell off the side of the mountain. He didn't realize they were that close to the edge and without even thinking, he ran over to the edge and looked down and there she was, it wasn't far; just 20 feet down but right now, she might as well be 60.

He heard the lion's hungry growl and he turns around, tries to fight it off but the lion lunges for him and he falls over also.

The huge cat looks down at his two victims and growls.

{

In what seems like only a few minutes later, Jonathon wakes up, he instantly feels the terrible pain in his body so he can barely move but then he notices his surroundings.

He realizes he is in some kind of hut and he never has been in one but the first thing he thinks of is wigwam and his heart starts beating wildly and beads of sweat come on him but before he can even remember anything, the flap to the wigwam opens and in comes a Shawnee Indian and he just looks at Jonathon then another man comes in and he also looks at Jonathon and the Indian man then says,

"My name is Hokolesqua, this is Medicine Man of the Shawnee's, I will tell you words he has"

Jonathon looks at him with his heart in his throat and the Medicine Man speaks Shawnee then the other man looks at Jonathon then says,

"He says, Shawnee hunting tribe found you at bottom of Mountain and they killed what white men call, 'Mountain Lion', they bought you and the woman back..."

Jonathon looks over at Bess for the first time really and he quickly realizes she is nude under the bearskin and he yells,

"She ain't got no clothes on!"

Hokolesquea slowly shakes his head then says,

"We did, Medicine Man told us to to break fever and it has, she still has fever but it has lessened so far"

Jonathon looks at her then the Medicine Man says some words then Hokolesquea tells Jonathon,

"She was deeply scratched from her Nineki to nileca, elbow to hand...and she has broken..."

He makes a hand motion around his ribs and Jonathon says,

"Ribs?"

The Indian nods his head then says,

"Yes, she needs to rest"

Jonathon then feels piercing pain in his shoulder and makes a face and the medicine man goes over to him and says some things and does some movement with his fingers on Jonathon's shoulder then says some more things and Hokolesqua then says,

"Medicine man says you have bad hurt shoulder but it will be as you say, 'okay', he has right medicine but now you must miici and have waapa"

Jonathon looks confused then asks,

"What's that?"

Hokolesuqea says,

"You must eat and drink water"

He signals for a female Indian to come in with a bowl of food and a little wooden cup of water for Jonathon and she sits them down and humbly leaves without a word and silently Hokolesqua and the medicine man leaves while Jonathon eats slowly at first but with much more gusto as time goes on.

{

Later that night, as he sleeps under the bearskins and a dream catcher, his mind remembers that awful day...young Jonathon was with his parents in a wagon riding from Arkasas into Tennessee, they were going further up north and things were going peacefully. Then they saw a band of Indian warriors and at first they thought nothing was going to happen but the warriors saw them and nobody knows what thoughts were going through their minds but...Jonathon was the first to hear the war cry.

He turned his head and saw the Indians running with their horses after them, he screamed for his paw and both his maw and paw turned their heads and saw them!

His paw, John Gravy urged the horses to go on but it was to no avail, Jonathon remembers the arrows flying to them then suddenly he saw the arrows shooting with fire on them. The Indians overtook the wagon and somehow got the horses away from the wagon, the wagon overturned and he remembers the screams of his parents as it went over and over two or three times. The last thing Jonathon remembers is his parents groutesque face of death as he passed out.

The Indians must have thought he was dead also for they left...Jonathon remembers that a few family valuables were gone when he woke up. He cried some but then he just finally got up and somehow buried his parents in a shallow grave in the foothills of Tenn.

He heard the cannons going off of the war and somehow , the sounds that were associated with death were somehow peaceful at that time and he then took off for higher country to find his brother, Andrew somehow.

{

Bess awakens and she sees the same surroundings that Jonathon does, she looks over and sees him fighting in his sleep but then she notices her own nude body under the bearskins and at first she is shocked but she remembers the attack and she sees how Jonathon is murmuring in his sleep and she says,

"Jonathon"

He doesn't wake up so she says his name again but this time only louder.

"Jonathon!"

He still doesn't wake up, he is still in his nightmare but Bess barely raises herself up on her elbow and picks up a small rock that she finds on the dirt floor of the wigwam and she throws it at him and the dream goes away into the dream catcher like a vacuum and when he remembers his surroundings, he looks at Bess and he 'smiles' and says,

"You're awake"

She lays back down and says,

"I wish I wasn't"

He 'smiles' again and grunts then she asks,

"Where are we?"

He looks around and says,

"A Shawnee Indian camp"

She doesn't move a muscle just says,

"Oh"

He looks around to make sure nobody hears then he asks in a rushed whisper,

"You're not frightened?"

She opens her eyes then turns her head to look at him then says as a matter of fact,

"No, why should I? Oh, I forgot t o tell you, my husband was a Sioux Indian"

He looks at her surprised then she says,

"Kweewa! Nepi! Miici!"

He then asks,

"You speak Shawnee?"

She shrugs her shoulders then says,

"A few words, I asked for a woman to bring me food and water"

Just then a woman comes in with a bowl of food and a cup of water. She sits them down and backs out then the Medicine Man comes in, looks at Bess then quickly examines her in his way then says in Shawnee, 'I will be back'. She nods her head and he leaves and she looks at Jonathon and continues to eat.

**A/N-I tried to do my research correctly in the language of the Shawnee nation, if I have it wrong, please forgive me.**


	14. Chapter 14 A time for trust and healing

A few days later,Jonathon comes out of the wigwam that he shares with Bess while they recover from the fall and attack of the Mountain Lion. He stands up and stretches then looks around the Indian camp...he watches the Shawnee women cooking the days meals, the children running and playing . The men are doing various chores for their families.

He starts to walk straight ahead when Hokolesqua comes up to him and asks,

"I see you are walking around, that is good" Jonathon nervously smiles then says,

"It feels good"

Hokolesqua shakes his head then asks,

"What is kweewa's name?"

Jonathon looks confused then asks,

"What?"

Hokolesqua nods his head toward the Wigwam then Jonathon says,

"Oh, the woman, that's Bess...and I'm Jonathon"

Jonathon starts to make the 'how' sign but gets embarrassed then sticks his hand out for Hokolesqua to shake but he just looks at it then signals for Jonathon to follow, so Jonathon shrugs his shoulders and follows him. The first thing his sees is a few of the children running around and he asks,

"What are they doing?"

Hokolesqua looks at the children and he says,

"They are playing Neeme, like white children play...what is it? 'Hide..."

Jonathon says,

"Hide and Seek?"

Hokolesqua shakes his head and says,

"Come on,see more"

Jonathon follows him and he smells a God awful stench and asks ,

"What is that ? Is she cooking something?"

The woman holds up something on the large wooden spoon then Hokolesqua says,

"She not cook, she boil animal skin to make clothes"

Jonathon pinches his nose and moves on, quickly then the Indian takes him farther into the camp. Jonathon then sees some children watching a older Indian man, around 40 years of age and he has on tan breech clothes, no shirt and moccasin . He is telling a story to the children in signs. The children laugh Jonathon asks,

"What is he doing?"

Hokolesqua looks at him and he 'smiles' then says,

"He is telling children story"

Jonathon looks at him then asks,

"A story?"

Hokolesqua then asks,

"Yes, story, white men do not tell stories to children?"

Jonathon thinks about it then says,

"Why, yes, we do"

The Indian man then asks him,

"Then, what?"

Jonathon looks back at the storyteller and watches him fall to the ground flat with his arms out and hears the laughter of the children then says,

"I don't know...the laughter"

Hokolesqua then laughs himself and says,

"Indians laugh"

Jonathon looks at him then starts a low laughter himself then a mighty roar of laughter comes out of him.

{

After a few hours of watching the Shawnee Indian tribe, daughters helping their mothers in cooking and sewing . Fathers and sons hunting and fishing and occasionally a Indian maid and a male courting just like white men and women, Jonathon begins to relax with Hokolesqua asks Jonathon a question,

"Hokolesqua watches you...know something made you not trust Indian...what is it?"

Jonathon looks around and sees the sun start to go down and he debates in his mind if he should tell the story then he says,

"It happened when I was about 13, I was with my maw and paw. We were leaving to go to Wyoming but we were still in Kentucky when this tribe of Indians attacked us in our wagon...they started shooting flaming arrows and..."

His heart pounds at the sharp memory but he continues and says,

"Paw tried to outrun them but the arrows caught the wagon on fire and it eventually overturned, more than once and when it stopped...maw and paw were dead"

The Indian is quiet then he asks,

"The Indians...do you know what they were?"

Jonathon shakes his head and wipes the tears away then says,

"No, didn't ask"

Hokolesqua thinks then says,

"Think I know, there is a small tribe of Blackfoot that is violent and they use flaming arrows on horses, I am sorry"

Jonathon wipes some more tears away then before he knows it, a young Indian boy of 4 years old comes up to Jonathon unexpected and gives him a bear hug then Hokolesquea asks in his native speech why the boy did that and the child tells him in native Shawnee,

"Because he needed it"

Then the child runs back into his wigwam with his mother and Jonathon asks,

"What did you ask him?"

Holokesqua says,

"I asked him why he hugged you and he say, because you needed it"

Jonathon smiles then says,

"I sure wish you had a easier name to say Holokesqua"

Holokesqua smiles and says,

"Holokesqua's wife says same thing"

They both laugh then the Indian says,

"Come"

Jonathon follows him then they go to a wigwam and he watches Holokesqua give two short knocks then a man who is clearly a chief comes out then Holokesqua tells him something in native speech then he calls for somebody and a boy of about 14 comes out and the chief tells him something then the boy quickly sets out to do whatever the chief has told himm to do and he signals for them to go inside and they sit down and the chief calls for his wife and he tells her something and she shakes her head then goes and gets something which is a pipe then Jonathon asks,

"What is that?"

Hokolesqua tells him,

"Our peace pipe"

The pipe is made of red pipe stone and sparsely decorated then Jonathon asks,

"I thought it was only for chiefs"

Hokolesqua then says,

"That is what white men say, it is for anybody who wants peace with us"

Then other Indian men come in and Hokolesqua says,

"This is other men of our tribe, sit down Jonathon"

They sit down in a circle then the chief lights it and says some words in Shawnee then Hololesqua says

"Chief says, This is our peace pipe, it is not only for peace between tribes it is for peace for friends. It is now to show you, Jonathon, peace between you...us"

The chief takes a puff then hands it counter clockwise to the other men and eventually to Jonathon. Then afterwards, Jonathon and Hololesqua walk back to where Jonathon and Bess are staying and Hololesqua says,

"I hope it has been a good day for you Jonathon"

Jonathon smiles and says,

"It is, I made friends"

Hololesqua nods his head then goes on to his wigwam.

**A/N-I tried as best I could to stay with the Shawnee nation tradition of doing things in clothes, cooking, storytelling and other ways. I may have stretched it in having Jonathon smoke the peace pipe.**

**I mean NO disrespect to the Blackfoot nation.**

**Please leave reviews and tell me what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15 Broken Wings

A week later, still in the Shawnee Indian camp, Jonathon and Bess stand beside their horses and Hokolesqua comes up to them and his wife holds a small bundle, Hokolesqua gives her a signal to hand it to Jonathon and she says,

"Maize"*

He looks at it at recognizes it as cornbread and he smiles and says,

"Much obliged"

Jonathon tips his hat and takes it then Hokolesqua says,

"You have been good hileni Jonathon"

He looks at Bess and she mouths, 'man' and he smiles and turn his head back and says,

"You have too Hokolesqua, you and your wife."

He looks at the whole tribe then says,

"All of you"

He gets on his horse and Bess smiles at all of them and waves goodbye and they leave with the Indians saying goodbye in their language.

As the day goes on, the Indians go on about their day, hunting, fishing, cooking, making crafts and just living but somebody watches them from the woods.

[

About 10 miles from the Indian camp, Jonathon and Bess are sitting around the campfire eating some of the cornbread and cooking deer stew meat then he says,

"I don't know about you Bess but I had a fine time back there with the Indians"

She smiles and serves of some of the stew meat then says,

"I surely did enjoy it"

He takes a bite or two then says,

"This may sound strange, but I get the feeling to go back"

She thinks on it then says,

"You realize that will put a day behind ?"

He takes another bite then says,

"It's not like we're not already behind"

She silently agrees and they go on to eating the rest of the cornbread and stew.

{

The next morning, before dawn, Jonathon and Bess are on their horses and they ride though the woods and they see the beautiful sunrise enjoy the breaking of a new day.

But then, when thier horses break through on the prairie ground, they get a shock they wish they didn't. The wigwams are gone in one way or another...either knocked down or burnt...rocks from fire pits are kicked about and finally in bits of smoke, they finally see U.S. Calvary on horses with Shawnee Indians in chains...the one who survived.

Jonathon and Bess are struck dumbfounded then they break out on the horses in a run straight for the troops and Jonathon with anger, asks,

"What is going on?"

The U.S. Major turns his horse sharply around and with a aggravated look on his face and he says,

"I'm Major John Horton, who are you?"

Jonathon tells him,

"I'm Jonathon Garvey and I want to know what's going on?"

He tells him in a nasty, gruff voice,

"We are on orders of the U.S. goverernment to capture these savages in order to rehabilitate them"

Just growing more and more angry, he yells,

"Rehabilitate ? They ain't done nothing wrong!"

He leans in closer to him and he says in a hissing , angry tone,

"They are savages, that's what's wrong"

Jonathon's face turns red and he yells,

"They ain't 'savages'!"

Just then, Jonathon looks down the line and sees a young, pregnant woman and he yells,

"Good Lord man! You can't make her walk! She'll never make it!"

The major turns and looks at her and snorts,

"They walk all the time, she'll be okay"

He turns his head to signal the troops to come on and Jonathon turns his head and sees Hokolesqua and his wife on his spotted red horse and they run into the woods. Jonathon and Bess fear the troops hearing them but just then as if it is called for, a rock slide happens from a nearby mountain, covering the sound of the horse running.

The rock slide also frightens the horses they capture and they run off and the Major says,

"Go get them! We need those horses!"

Some of the men give a salute and say 'Yes sir' and go after the horses but for reasons that was never clear, the men or the horses are never seen by the major or the other men.

When Jonathon and Bess are satisfied that Hokolesqua are safely away, Jonathon says,

"Let's leave Bess, the air stinks around here"

Just as he turns to leave, he sees the dead body of the 4 year old child that had hugged him a week ago. He looks back at the Major with murder in his eyes then they leave. When he and Bess get in the woods, they track down Hokolesqua and his wife, they find her crying for the senseless deaths and Hokolesqua silently grieving...Jonathon taps his friend on the shoulder and they hug and Bess takes his wife's hand and holds it.

Jonathon says,

"We have to do something"

Hokolesqua asks,

"What?"

Jonathon looks at Bess then looks back at his friend and with his hands, and in speech says,

"Trap"

Bess smiles and says it in Indian language and Hokolesqua finally smiles and they all get together and make plans.

{

Hokolesqua and Jonathon run ahead of the troops in the woods by a few miles and set up a long thin rope across their way. Then they look at a tree up the way and they get some more rope and somehow devise another trap and more traps in the ground and in the air it seems.

All they can do is wait. Jonathon and Bess hear their hearts beat like Indian drums. Hokolesqua and his squaw look at each other then he lets out a loud war cry, the kind that sends shivers up and down your spine.

The Major looks in shock and he asks his men,

"I thought we rounded up all the savages"

The Private next to him says,

"I thought we did too sir"

"Let's go get them!" "Yes sir!"

They unwittingly race for the cry but before they know it, the Major and the Private and two or three other horses and men are taken down to the surprise of the other men and Indians. The Indian men cry out and a huge fight comes out, Jonathon, Hokolesqua, Bess and Hokolesqua's wife runs out and they join in the fight. Guns are fired but only wounds are made in various people.

The horses that Major Horton and his men were on run away and leave a cloud of dust, enough time for Jonathon to wrench the gun away from him. A life and death struggle is made, and for some reason, unknown even to him, Jonathon gets the Major in a bear hug and before he even knows it, squeezes the very life out of the Major.

For one small minute, everyone is in shock because it was quite unexpected of the gentle giant but then Hokolesqua and the Private start fighting again and Hokolesqua gets his knife out and guts the Private. Some other soldiers on horses try running but the tree trap gets them, they are left hanging and screaming to their deaths. A soldiers starts to shoot Jonathon but another shot rings out and they turn to see Bess proudly standing there with a smoking gun in her hand and the man falls to his death.

Another man runs to the small patch of pond nearby but some Indians chase him down off his horse and they fight until they drown the man. One man tries to run away but Hokolesqua's squaw gets her bow and arrow and shoots the man dead.

Jonathon turns around and looks at the wagon the soldiers brought to transport some Indians and he sees a fight going on, he runs over there and sees one soldiers trying to rape the pregnant woman and Jonathon grabs him and screams a question at him,

"Have you lost your *God damned mind?"

A fist to fist fight starts until blood runs from both their noses and the soldier reaches for his gun but Jonathon, being the stronger of the two, wrenches it away and shoots him dead.

After it is all over, all the soldiers are dead and the Indians give a victory cry.

{

After it is all over, at Jonathon's urging, the soldier's bodies are being burned...Jonathon and Bess stand with their horses in front of the Indians again and they say goodbye again,

"I leave you in peace brother"

Hokolesqua shakes his head as his squaw and the pregnant girl stand with all the Indians in the background and he tells Jonathon,

"As I leave you"

"You need to leave here and start over"

Hokolesqua looks at his small band and says,

"We will do so"

Jonathon smells the burning bodies then he gets on his horse and he waves to the Indian and he and Bess ride off. No more words are spoken for the rest of the day and night but then he says as he and Bess prepare to go to sleep in bedrolls,

"I don't regret it"

She doesn't say anything for the longest time then she finally says,

"Neither do I"

They watch the stars until the go to sleep.

**Years later, a older Jonathon says,**

**"I heard many years after that, Hokolesqua and his tribe were one of the last band of Indians taken in. I never told anybody, not even Charles Ingalls who was my best friend of that day. "**

**A/N-* As a christian, I hate, hate the use of the word, "God Damned" but I felt it was a part of the story.**

**Sand n' Sable**


	16. Chapter 16 A Nice day for a Wedding

On that hot day in September of 1868, Alice Beninford was with her maid of honor in a room putting on the finishing touches on her wedding dress. She had on a cream silk dress with a high lace collar, the lace went over the shoulder and it made like a bib on the front, it has 3/4 inch sleeves and nice and full and have small "hoops". Narrow, vertical bands of lace are at the shoulders and continue downwards. The waistband is very wide and comes to a point and is decorated with narrow bands and the skirt is gathered into the waistband and generously cut.

Her maid of honor was helping her put on the veil...a beautiful cut of lace made out of matching material and with very trimmed lines going through and yellow wildflowers, fresh picked and placed carefully around the head and held in place with pins.

Alice says in a cheerful voice to her friend,

"Oh Brenda! I can't believe I'm doing this!"

Her friend smiles and pats the flowers then says,

"Well, you are going to be up there in a few minutes and you'll become Mrs. Harold Crummings!"

Alice giggles like a little girl and she beams then they hear the music coming from the organ and Brenda says,

"Well, let's go"

The girls go out to where they are supposed to wait and Alice's uncle comes and he stops and smiles then says,

"You're father would be so proud of you"

Tears come to Alice's eye and he picks up a bunch of wildflowers from the outside and hands them to her and she takes them with her hands shaking then they compose themselves and go down the aisle where she sees her handsome Harold in a 3 piece suit, the jacket in center front with a button closure and the collar has a sheen and it has a breast pocket and 2 front pockets. The jacket has a 3/4 matching vest and 3 buttons up and down and the neckline comes to a low 'v', a fold over collar. And the slacks he is wearing has a long vertical stripe down the side.

Her uncle hands Alice's hand to Harold who is smiling and then they turn to the minister and he says,

"We are gathered here today in this church to join to gather in holy wedlock, this woman;

Alice Jean Beninford and Harold William Crummings. If any man has any reason to why these two should not be wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace"

They wait the long minute to pass then the preacher continues,

"Do you Harold William Crummings take Alice Jean Beninford to be your lawfully wedded wife to love, honor and cherish until death do you part?"

He looks at Alice with all the love a man can hold and he tenderly says,

"I do"

The preacher shakes his head then turns to Alice and says,

"Do you Alice Jean Beninford take Harold William Crummings to be your lawfully wedded husband to love, honor and obey in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

Alice gulps then says softly,

"I do"

The preacher then says proudly,

"I now pronounce you man and wife! Harold, you may kiss your bride"

Harold then lifts the veil and gently kisses her then the preacher says to a roomful of people,

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mister and Mrs. Harold Crummings!"

Everybody claps and the bride and groom turn and walk down the aisle and head for where they are having the wedding reception outside.

{

Somewhere out in a field of wild grass, a wedding reception is going on. Lots of down home music is being played while square dancing is going on and there is plenty of happiness and laughter going on.

Harold goes to sit down and he watches his young , beautiful bride laugh and dance with her guests and as he sits down, another man sits down behind Harold. He is in a brown shirt and breeches and a hat on that hides half his face and he says,

"Hello Harold"

Harold turns around and looks at the shady character and his smile disappears and he says,

"Lucian"

He then turns around but Lucian sits up and says in a low tone to Harold,

"Harold, you owe $ 200 now"

Harold says,

"That's a lot of money"

Irritated, Harold says,

"I'll get it"

Lucian then says,

"Hmmmmm, how?"

Harold tells him,

"You don't worry about it"

Lucian picks up a tin cup and takes a sip then says,

"Nice lemonade"

Harold tells him,

"You weren't invited to the wedding"

Harold smiles then says,

"You mean I won't get any of that good cake?"

Harold doesn't say anything and Lucian laughs then gets up but his last words to Harold are,

"Cute little bride"

He leaves and he thinks nobody has noticed him but Alice does and she wonders who he is but he loses himself in the crowd.

**A/N-Thank to Ultimatelaurafan for her help!**

**Sand n' Sable**


	17. Chapter 17 Not a good day for Jonathon

Jonathon and Bess had been riding thier horses for a long time after thier time with the Indians, a long time being a solid week. Jonathon wasn't even on his horse, he was off and holding the reigns of his horse, Bess still is riding hers and he asks,

"Tell me when we leave Missouri"

She weakly smiles and says,

"Jonathon, we crossed into Kansas about a hour ago...I think we are in someplace called Salt Springs...not sure"

He says with his tongue nearly dragging,

"Let's find someplace to stop and rest. I'm wore out and so are the horses"

She tells him,

"You won't get a argument from me but where?"

He looks around at the vast, open space prairie land and Bess says,

"There's not much here is there?"

Jonathon nods his head and they look around and scan each and every section they see almost nothing then Bess says,

"Look!"

Jonathon looks up to see her pointing to the northwest and he sees the images of two buildings and he hollers,

"Yaa-hoo!"

Bess smiles and says,

"Might not be much but maybe who ever lives there will let us stop and rest for a bit"

He hops back up on his horse with renewed energy and he says,

"Let's go"

They get the horses in high gear and they go to the house and the closer they get to it they start hollering,

"Hello!"

Nobody comes running out so Bess tries,

"Hello there!"

They go up to the barn and Jonathon tries one more time,

"Hello! Somebody! "

Jonathon and Bess shrug thier shoulders then get down and he says,

"Nobody's here"

Jonathon says,

"Well, let's put the horses in the barn and find some water and food for them if we can"

He opens the barn door and they take the saddles and furs off and they look around and find a pile of hay in the corner and Jonathon looks around outside and finds a old well and he gets several buckets of water for the horses.

Then Bess says,

"The barn is in fine shape"

Jonathon shakes his head and says,

"Some take better care of the barn than the house, the barn holds their life"

They leave the barn and go to the house and look around the cabin made of logs and Bess says,

"House is in good shape but not much, I think you were right"

Jonathon smiles then he stumbles a bit and Bess asks,

"What's wrong?"

Puzzled, Jonathon says,

"Don't know, felt like something stung me...wait a minute, do you hear that?"

She strains her ears and she hears the faint sound of a thousand bees and her eyes get bigger and bigger and she goes to the door and opens it and they go out on the porch and they see it. A gigantic sandstorm that seems a thousand miles away is coming to them and Bess screams and Jonathon hollers,

"Get back inside!"

They race inside and he shuts the door and they fall against the wall and they quickly realize it is no good because sand hits their legs like bee stings and they jump around and Bess yells out over the roar,

"It's coming in the walls!"

Jonathon looks around the old, semi deserted cabin and he says,

"Get behind the chimney!"

They run behind the rock chimney that also acts as a wall and she says,

"This is better but not much!"

They twist and turn endlessly trying to protect their bodies and after what seems a lifetime , the storm finally stops and they look at each other and go outside carefully and slowly. They see things slowly getting back to normal outside and Jonathon says,

"I'm going to go check the horses"

She sighs and shakes her head and says,

"I'm going back inside"

She turns and goes back inside and finally sees that there is very few furniture, a few odds and ends...the kitchen table and 4 wooden chairs and she goes into a back bedroom and smiles at the sight of a large bathtub and she drags it out to the living room then in comes Jonathon and he says,

"The horses are all right, they need a washing and I had to give them fresh water again but I figure I'm going to get cleaned up myself"

He looks down and sees the tub and he says,

"Hey! Where did you find that?"

She proudly points to one of the room and says,

"Back there...this place hasn't been abonded long"

He smiles and says,

"Well, ladies first and I was going to tell you, I knew the water had to come from some place so I walked around a bit and found a creek not far from here so I'm going to go down there and take a well deserved bath"

She shakes her head and asks him,

"Can you help me get some water in here for this thing first?"

He shakes his head yes then says,

"Will do"

He goes and it takes several trips but he fills the water tub then he finally gets down to the creek and takes a simple bath in beautiful Kansas surroundings and he washes himself with the clean water and he looks around at the sky then he starts feeling something strange and he jerks around a bit but the feeling keeps coming and he feels around his body then he jerks up a baby snapping turtle about the size of his hand and when he sees it, he yells out and quickly pulls some more off then runs up on the bank and he brushes the excess water off and shakes himself and he puts on his underwear and pants then he reaches for his shoes and sees that they are gone!

He looks up and sees a shaggy, brown dog holding his shoes that he tied together and he tries to go to the dog slowly but the dog only growls so Jonathon stops in his tracks and lets the dog settle down a bit then he lunges for the dog and misses. The dog then runs off and Jonathon gets up and starts to walk up the long way back to the house but then his feet start feeling funny...hot in fact and he starts to run around but then he feels small pieces of glass in his foot.

He falls down in pain but he gets up and runs back to the house while still stepping on pieces but he finally reaches the cabin and sits down on a chair at the end of the porch and takes out the glass then hobbles in and Bess is just finishing getting dressed in a white shirt and breeches and she asks,

"What happened to you?"

He looks at her then says,

"I was down at the creek taking a bath like I said and all of a sudden, I felt all these little bites all over my body and I reach down and I get these baby snapping turtles off of me...some the size of my hand and some smaller...I must have been near a nest or something. Then when I got out a dog from somewhere took my shoes and ran off with them so I just started back to the house...dang sun made the sand hot as blazes and then, this house must have had glass windows because it's all over out there and...what can I put on my blasted feet?"

She tries not to laugh but goes and gets several torn rags and dips them in water and goes and carefully wraps them around his feet then she says,

"I think I' m going to make a stew out of the last of the deer meat from that one we got just before we left Missouri"

He grimaces then says,

"Sounds good"

She stands up and says,

"I'm going to go see if that dog has dropped your shoes and get your extra shirt out of your sack"

He wipes up the last of the blood and says,

"Thanks"

She leaves and he finishes with his feet.

A little while later, he comes out of the back room in a fresh red checkered shirt and his shoes back on and he smells the deer meat cooking in a kettle and he asks Bess,

"Where did you get that?"

She looks at the kettle then says,

"I found it in the back of the pantry and I also found some cans of fat so this place was just recently left...did you have a nice nap?"

He smiles then says,

"Just fine"

She thinks of something and says,

"I'm going to go check out the outhouse, will you stir that for me? I'm starting to smell it burning"

She runs for the back door and he goes over and picks up the lid without thinking and it burns his hand and she races back in to say,

"Oh, you better use the rag on the mantal over the fireplace, don't want..."

She sees him holding his new red hand and she finishes her sentence in a low voice,

"...to burn your hand"

She goes over and gets the same rags he wiped his feet with and dips them in clean water and takes it over to him and he goes to sit down in a chair then just as he sits down, he yells out causing Bess to eyes to bug out. He turns and picks up a little sewing needle and asks,

"How did that get there?"

Bess shrugs her shoulders and he sits down, gets the rag from her, wraps his hand and...there is steam coming out of his ears and words come silently out of his mouth and Bess turns and quickly goes to the bathroom. When she is out of sight, she rolls in laughter.

**A/N-I had bunches of help with this one!**

**A friend helped me with learning about sandstorms and of coarse, Ultimatelaurafan.**

**Salt Springs is a real town in south Kansas...a township, I don't know what the diff is.**

**Sand n' Sable**


	18. Chapter 18 Nightmares and Dreams

Bess was lying in bed and looking up at the ceiling and she hadn't slept a wink since she laid down, all she could think about was...Jonathon. She thought about the day, how Jonathon had helped them both in that powerful sandstorm...the gentle way he helped her bring in the bathtub then the laughter they shared with Jonathon's...'problems' the rest of the day, granted she did the laughing but she wouldn't let him know that!

She felt guilty about her thoughts, it hadn't been that long since her husband, his name was Flying Eagle but she just called him, 'Eagle' died. Granted, it had been 3 years on the calendar but it seemed like just yesterday in her heart.

She gave up trying to sleep and she sat up in bed. She put her arm on her knee and she looked around the room and saw the moonlight coming in the window. She got up and went to it and was looking around at the dark outdoors and then she looked up at the moon. There wasn't a cloud and only a scarce star or two around so the moon shown brighter in its glory, the moonlight seemed beautiful and scary at the same time somehow.

She sighed and walked around the bare rom and wondred briefly about the people who abandoned the house, what kind of people were they. She put her hand on the doorknob, stopped herself and thought about what she was doing but she opened it anyway and she walked out. The floors were old but they really didn't creak but it didn't matter, she could almost glide across floors...Eagle had teased her and told her one time that she should have been named Eagle, it was almost like she flew across floors when she wanted.

She noticed that Jonathon hadn't closed his door all the way...she couldn't fight the impulse...she silently and carefully opened the door wider so she could see Jonathon sleeping. Jonathon was a good 10 years younger than her and she knew she shoulnd't be having these feelings but she...agggh! This was despicable! Not only was she having impure thoughts about such a grand man but she was a widow! What would Eagle think?

Disgusted with herself, she turns and goes to her room, she starts to slams the door but she quickly thinks she best not so she closes the door carefully then she goes to her bed and flops herself on the pillows, pulls up the covers to her chin then turns over and finally falls to sleep.

Her sleep was not restful. She had dreams...nightmares really. Her dreams was about that day, that day at the farm she and Eagle had. She was in the kitchen cleaning the wood stove when she hear a wagon coming up and she knew it was company because Eagle left for work on his horse. She was a little miffed for company, she had soot all over her, she was going to take a bath before her husband came home so why did company have to come now?

She sighed and threw down the rags she was working with and she opened the door and her heart began to pound. She recongized some of the men from her husband's workplace. Mendez, a fellow worker and Mister Cartensen, the foreman from work and Mister Runkle, Eagle's boss. Why were they here? They didn't come unless...

She pushed that thought away and she goes up to them and with charming politness starts small talk...Cartensen and Runkle looks at each other then they tell Bess about the mine explosion and about her husband's senseless death...she then forces herself to walk to the wagon and pulls back the sheet on her husband and sees his body and knows it is real, she breaks down crying then runs to the cabin she had shared and she stayed in there for days not eating but somebody finally made her come out and eat, who, she can't recall to this day.

She woke up in a sweat and she decided what the dream was telling her-to stay faithful to Eagle even in death. She looked at the window and she could tell by the way the moon was in the sky, morning wounldn't be long so she stayed awake.

A hour later, she was up and dressed in a red plaid shirt and her usual breeches and she smelt some good food being cooked, she couldn't fight her stomach any longer so she went out to the kitchen. There she saw Jonathon cooking what little deer meat they had left and two eggs sitting nearby . She sat down at the long table and he said,

"Morning...I got meat and the two eggs we got from that lady in Missouri for breakfast. Hope that's okay"

She couldn't bring herself to look at Jonathon, she just felt so shamed and she says,

"That's fine"

Jonathon notices something strange but he shrugs it off then says,

"Sorry we just got water to drink...and I got the horses ready to go when we are"

She finally looks at him then says flatly,

"You've been busy"

He shakes his head then says,

"Shoot, I've been up before dawn"

She shakes her head and he finishes breakfast and no more words are spoken from either of them, he just figures she had a bad night sleeping. So after they finish eating , Bess quietly gathers everything together to clean and she packs them all then they both go out to the barn and get on the horses and ride out...in silence.

Later that morning, as they are riding, Jonathon starts feeling something funny about the way his horse is riding so he says,

"Whoa!"

He gets down and picks up her front foot and sees that the horseshoe is just barely hanging on. He just pulls it off and throws it out in the empty prairie land and Bess then says,

"There's a town not far from here from those signs, we'll see about getting her fixed up there"

Jonathon shakes his head then says,

"Even when we get her done, we'll have to stay a night, she'll need to rest that foot before we take off, think we got enough to get her shoed and a place to stay?"

She shakes her head then says,

"I think so, come on"

So they go on and they come to a young lady walking in the streets and Bess asks her,

"How do ma'am, I was just wondering where me and my friend could stay the night for...cheap"

The young lady then says,

"Mrs. Bellmont's boarding house, it's just down the way there, you'll see her name out in front on a big sign"

Bess shakes her head and says,

"Thank you"

She and Jonathon ride off and the girl smiles at Jonathon and he smiles back and asks,

"Do you know where I can get my horse shoed at?"

The girl shrugs her shoulders than says,

"Go to the local blacksmith, my brother runs it"

He says thank you and Bess watches them give the warm glances and she burns with jealously even tho she knows she shouldn't.

The ride futher up the street when they see a huge oak green sign that says-_'Mrs. Bellmont's boarding house' _and Bess gets down and hands him the reigns to her horse and says,

"Here, you stay here with the horses and I'll go get us a room"

He shakes his head and she turns ro go in when they hear a commotion coming up the street and they hear a voice saying,

"Make way! Make way!"

They look up and see a funeral horse and buggy coming down the street, as it passes, Bess sees the funeral wagon has huge pane glass on either side so you can view the coffin, beautiful snow white curtains on the side of the inside of it pulled back with a matching rope and pillars on the outside four corners making the death wagon more handsome. And she sees the latern on the side by the couch so the driver can put a candle in there for night driving.

Jonathon takes his hat off for respect and the young lady comes up and Jonathon asks,

"Who is it that died?"

The young lady says,

"Our mayor, they are taking him over to the next town where his mother lives, just a days ride from here"

Jonathon then asks,

"Why was the driver yelling?"

She looks at him and says,

"He died of the fever, guess they don't want people getting too close to the body"

As the coach drives out of sight, Bess sees her husband Eagle riding on the back then she turns and goes in the boarding house.

Later that evening, as the sun goes down, Jonathon comes out onto the pourch freshly washed and clean clothes and Bess looks at him as she is sitting on the poarch swing and she asks him,

"Where are you going?"

He blushes and says,

"What makes you think I'm going anywhere?"

She gives a small smile then says,

"Come on Jonathon"

He smiles then says,

"That girl, MaryAnne, is going to show me around town"

Bess then says,

"We're only going to be here for a day, maybe another night as cheap as the prices are here"

Jonathon then says,

"Better to know the town then, besides she has asked me to escort her to the town dance tommorow night"

Bess shakes her head and Jonathon leaves.

Later that night, Bess lays in bed again and this time, sleep comes easily to her. But the dreams still come. This time, she sees herself standing at the gate again going into the boarding house and she sees the wagon again in its deathly glory and when it passes, there is Eagle again, he is wearing white clothes and he has a beautiful white eagle feather in his glisting black hair and he steps off he wagon and he goes to her and they hug in a embrace then she says,

_'I have missed you'_

He then tells her,

_'I have miss you'_

She kisses his hands then says,

_'I have been dreaming about you'_

He smiles then says,

_'I know, I have sent you the dreams"_

She looks at him in puzzlement then asks,

_'You? Why?'_

He then says,

_'Because you are troubled'_

She turns from him in embarressment and she says,

_'You know...I'm sorry, I'm ashamed'_

She stays turned around from his face and he smiles and he says tenderly,

_'I know you are and I know you loved me, still love me but Bess..."_

He cups his fingers up under her chin and turns her around then says,

_'But Bess...you have to love another'_

She looks up at him and says,

_'I can't'_

He then says,

_'Look at the birds, they mate for life. We are not animals, we need someboy to love. If you find it, get it'_

She turns and looks up at him with tears in her eyes then asks,

_'Really?'_

He shakes his head then gives her a final kiss then he gets back on the hearse wagon and he leaves with his hand up tho her and Bess says a final,_'Bye'._

Bess then wakes up again in the middle of the night, but this time she just lays there and remembers the dream.

The next morning, she wakes up and she goes over to the window and this time, instead of darkness and the moon, she sees a bright morning and bright spring flowers and hears the birds singing and somehow she has a different outlook on her life that morning.

She quickly gets dressed and she goes out and sees hot bisquits and homemade butter on the table and her smile widens and she eagerly gets one and Jonathon comes down, sees them himself and says,

"Lord a mercy"

She smiles and says,

"Get one, I'm sure Mrs. Bellmont won't mind, that's what she has them for"

He gladly gets one and sits down and so does Bess then she says,

"You got in late last night"

He smiles and swallows his bisquit then says,

"MaryAnn and I walked around a lot then she took me to her house and I met her parents. They fixed a good supper, couldn't say no to the invite"

Bess then asks him,

"You going to the dance tonight?"

He asks her,

"Are we staying?"

She shakes her head then says,

"I think so, we all can use a rest from the dirt piles outside and good food like this, well..."

He smiles then a plump, pleasant woman comes in with baskets of more food and she says in German,

"Ahh...essen! Essen!"

Jonathon asks Bess,

"What's she saying?"

Bess thinks on it then says,

"I think she's saying to eat"

Jonathon smiles then says,

"Don't have to ask me twice"

Mrs. Bellmont puts down baskets of more bisquits, potatoes and just food in general and she signals that she is going to go get more food.

Later that morning, she is walking around the town and she then sees a man walking around town, somebody who looks like Flying Eagle. She then looks at him again and realizes it is not, he is a Indian like her late husband but he is different...somehow.

He is wearing a red bandana around his head and he smiles at her. She stops and her breath stops in her throat and he comes up to her and starts talking to Bess.

Later that night, at some huge red barn in that town, carefree music plays and Jonathon and young MaryAnne walk in and he looks around and he sees Bess...in a dress! Standing beside her Indian man and Bess notices him and she gets nervous and Jonathon and MaryAnne walk over and he says,

"Hello Bess"

Nervously, she says,

"Hello...um, this is Thunder Moon"

He nods his head then says,

"I'm sorry to be staring but I never seen you in a dress before"

Bess looks down and says,

"It's uh, Mrs. Bellmont's, well, her daughter's"

He smiles then says,

"You look good"

Mary Anne says,

"I agree!"

Music starts playing and Jonathon and MaryAnne go off to dance and Bess and Thunder Moon does the same.

**A/N-It might seem out of character for Jonathon to date a girl on the parire as it were but it was just part of the story and well, until he gets with Alice, a guy has to have fun doesn't he?**

**Much thanks to Ultimatelaurafan for help with the wagon hearse.**

**Mrs. Bellmont might not be a German name but who's to say she didn't marry a American? lol.**

**Sand n' Sable**


	19. Chapter 19  Meeting Larrabee

Jonathon and Bess finally come into the town of Drywood, the town where she plans to sell the furs that she has traveled so many hundreds of miles for. They were tired, they were dirty but they wanted to get the furs sold as quickly as possible so they asked the first person they saw where the fur trade shop was.

The first person they see is a man in his 40's, he has brown hair and a strong chin and kind, blue eyes . He stands proud and strong and Jonathon goes up to him and asks,

"Excuse me, but where can I find..."

He looks back at Bess and she says,

"Walsh furs and trading, Joe Walsh owns it"

The man then says,

"Yes, I know him. He runs his place on the other side of town, just follow that road there and you'll come to it, can't miss it...the last building in town"

Jonathon shakes his head and she says,

"Much obliged"

The man then asks,

"Hate to sound like I'm nosy but what business do you have with Walsh?"

Bess thinks on it then says,

"I got some furs to sell to him"

The man smiles and the says,

"Well, I can help you with that, I have a fur trading shop that I can send you to and I'll give you a good deal too"

She smiles and pets her horse then says,

"Appreciate it but my folks set up this deal a few months back for me and with him being a family friend, I'd hate to back out now"

He just smiles and says,

"Well, I made the offer"

She nods her head then looks at Jonathon and says,

"My name is Bess and this is Jonathon"

The man reaches up and shakes their hands then says,

"Names Judd Larrabee if you ever want to do business"

They smile and turn and go in the direction of Walsh's place while Jonathon tries to settle a uneasy feeling he has for Larrabee.

A while later, a man in his 30's with sandy brown hair, a beard and a twinkle in his eyes are looking through the furs that Bess has bought and he says,

"These are some fine fox and beaver furs...I just don't know how you kept them so fine in this heat coming from Tennessee"

She smiles and looks at Jonathon then says,

"Oh, it's a old family trick"

Joe Walsh smiles then says,

"Well, come back here little lady and we'll settle on price"

A little while later, she and Jonathon go outside and he looks around then she gets some money out of her pocket then says,

"Here Jonathon, here's what I owe you..."

He takes the money then shakes her hand and she says,

"You can count it"

He smiles and says,

"No, no need to...what are you going to do now Bess?"

She shrugs her shoulders then says,

"I guess go on to where my son and parents are then I don't know...what about you?"

He shrugs his shoulders then blows air out of his mouth and runs his hand through his hair then says,

"I'll look for another job here in town, I'm a bit tired of traveling right now..."

She laughs a little then says,

"Don't blame you there"

He sees something out of the corner of his eye and he smiles then he says,

"Whatever you have planned, you might have to do a little bit of changing"

Puzzled, she looks at him then asks,

"What do you mean?"

He nods his head and she turns around and she gasps and says,

"Thunder Moon!"

The handsome Indian that she just met days ago comes walking up to her and he says,

"Bess..."

He takes her soft hands and Jonathon walks back into the fur trading station. Thunder Moon tells Bess,

"The Spirits have showed me your face to me all last night"

She asks him,

"W-what does that mean?"

He shakes his head and says,

"I do not know but I would like to find out"

She smiles and says,

"I-I would like to also"

They just stand there holding hands then they both turn and walk down the road.

Jonathon walks back into the fur trading store that they had just come out of, and Joe Walsh stands up from behind the counter and asks Jonathon,

"Yes, how may I help you?"

Jonathon smiles then says,

"I just came in here to give Bess some privacy...just killing time"

Joe smiles then starts to go in the back room when Jonathon asks him,

"Well, I'll ask you...you hear things...do you know where I could get a job around here? I was planning on staying around for awhile"

Joe Walsh stands up and scratches his beard then says,

"Well, I know I shouldn't help the competition but I do know of a job, Judd Larrabee who own the store across town is asking for help"

Jonathon looks at him in surprise then he says,

"Judd Larrabee? Bess and I met him coming into town, he's the one that steered us here. Seems friendly enough"

Joe then says,

"Yes, he's a fair man...business is 4 blocks down, just a hole in the wall so you best look out for it, got a sign in front. Judd's furs"

Jonathon shakes his head then says,

"Appreciate it"

Jonathon starts out the door then Joe asks him,

"What's your name stranger?"

Jonathon looks back and says,

"Jonathon Garvy"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII

Jonathon opens the pine door and doesn't see anybody at first so he just strides right in and he looks at the wanted posters on the wall and one in particular catches his eye-**Wanted-Lucian Thorn- Charged with murder, manslaughter,running illegal gambling rings, robbery...'**

The list went on and Jonathon lets out a whistle then he looks at the eerie picture of the man, a dark pencil drawing of Lucian wearing a hat that hides half his face as usual, you can't see the cold blue in the pencil drawing but you have the feeling and the chilling sneer on his face.

Judd Larrabee comes walking into the place and he smiles when he sees Jonathon and he says,

"Hello!"

Jonathon turns to him and says,

"Howdy"

Larrabee asks,

"Did the little lady get her furs sold?"

Jonathon walks closer then says,

"Yes, she did but that's not why I'm here. Joe said you are hiring for some help"

Larrabee shakes his head and says,

"Sure are, are you applying?"

Jonathon nods his head and says,

"Sure am"

Judd just smiles and says,

"Well, I'm needing a delivery man, can't pay more than 50 cents a day, is that fair?"

Jonathon shakes his head yes then says,

"That will be fine, when do you want me to start?"

Judd thinks on that then says,

"Why don't you just wait until the last of the week? Shipment won't be ready until then"

Jonathon smiles and then says,

"That will be fine, that will give me time to find a place to stay and rest up"

They shake hands and Larrabee says,

"See you Friday Jonathon"

Jonathon nods his head and says,

"See you then"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII

At that time in a unknown place, a poker game is going on. High stakes are made . Harold is one of the players among 6 others. Lucian sits in the back of the room, in the shadows like a evil gnome. The smell of death is in the air.


	20. Chapter 20 High Stakes

Harold was in a very high stakes game, the highest in his life. He carefully watched each man, five men in all, come in and they were carefully checked for cheating ways under their clothes. He knew each man mostly by reputation, one was a man from up near Minneapolis, he was fearsome in his card dealings...one was from California, next one was from Chicago and the last two, he didn't even know their names, just that they were from New Orleans and deadly with cards.

He was planning on getting out of the gambling game...he just HAD to win this game and once and for all he would be out of it and he and Alice could get on to living and maybe even talk more about having those kids she wanted.

They all sat down quietly with only a bare word spoken, they didn't even really say each others name...wasn't needed. But each one of them saw Lucian sitting in the back of the room, hidden in the shadows with only a gun with him. Lucian didn't normally sit in on the games but this one was a important game. The gun he had was to keep things in order, keep tempers from getting overheated.

They sat down and Harold watched the dealer give out the cards, he could feel his heartbeat in each card that he picked up. At first the game went easy, he actually won a few hands but so did each man. Things were getting heavier with each hand as the night wore on, finally at about 4: 20, the final hand was being dealt and the tension was in the room like a knife in the middle of a pig pen.

Harold was sweating and he knew it wasn't from just the heat. The other men didn't look like they had a bit of sweat on them...didn't seem to be a bit of anxiety in their eyes at all. The dealer told them to show their hands and each one did...no cards out of the ordinary but then it came to the last two men to show their hand...the one directly across from him showed his...and the moment he did...Harold's heart fell but he put down his hand and the man gave a huge smirk and told everybody that he the winner.

All the men left the room with grumbling and complaints, Harold still sat in his seat and Lucian still hung in the shadows like a bat in a cave...Harold put his hand on his head and he said,

"I lost it, I lost it all, I'll have to keep gambling to make up for what I lost...I don't know what to do"

He waits a few minutes then Lucian finally walks out into the light and his eyes seem to wince with pain at the brightness that the lamp gives off then he says in a low,creepy voice,

"There is a way"

Harold asks him in a defeated voice,

"How?"

Lucian gets the gun and puts it down in the middle of the round table and Harold scoffs then says,

"By killing myself? I ought to but..."

He shakes his head and thinks about getting up and going away but he can't move his feet so he listens to the snake's next words. Lucian just moves in closer and he tells him the devil's deal.

"Listen, you see that man that just left here with all that money?"

Harold slowly shakes his head then says,

"Yes"

Lucian then says the next chilling words,

"He ain't gonna leave the state with that money. His name is James Rutherford and you are going to kill him"

Harold looks at him and says,

"What? What are you talking about? I ain't going to kill no man"

Lucian sits back in a chair and says,

"He owes me more money than you do and if you kill him and I get my money, you ain't going to owe me no more..you've done your debt; you'll be free and clear"

Harold asks him,

"What are you going to do if I don't?"

Lucian just gets a pencil from the table, gets a card and writes something on it then pushes the card to Harold then says,

"This"

Lucian then gets a knife from his holster and throws it in the center of the card and Harold sees the name "Alice" is written in bold, dark letters across the Queen of hearts. Harold feels heart winces then Lucian says,

"The man is staying in that big hotel in this town"

Harold's hand runs over his face then he asks,

"What room is he staying in?"

Lucian stands up and gets his gun and knife then walks over to the door then says,

"How should I know? I don't know everything, you find out and do your job, just get it done before midnight tommororw, man said he is going to stay around to visit his momma...ain't that nice? then leave so you just do your job"

Lucian then leaves and he is sure that he leaves the queen of hearts card where Harold sees it. Harold picks up the card, balls it up and throws it away then gets his jacket and leaves the room.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The next day, Harold wakes up and looks around his room and he can tell by the way the sunlight drifts in the room that it is the start of the afternoon. He looks over and sees the empty side of the bed so he gets up, gets dressed and walks out to the living room and he sees his young bride, Alice.

She sees him and smiles and she goes over and throws her arms around him and says,

"Oh Harold! I'm so glad to see you! You got in so late this morning and I just let you sleep in!"

He smiles and says,

"Yeah, that drive from St. Paul is a killer"

She just turns and pours him a cup of coffee, hands it to him and says,

"I'm so glad you are awake, I can't wait to show you something!"

He takes a sip of coffee then asks,

"What?"

She tells him as she turns to get it,

"I know I shouldn't have but it is just SO pretty! I got it for afternoon teas and those important business meetings of yours. I'm sure I'll have to go with you sometime and I want you to be proud of me"

He says as she opens it,

"I'm proud of you anyway"

She turns around and shows him a beautiful brown dress with a velvet red curvy line dropped down and a lace neckline and she says so excited like a little girl,

"Isn't it just beautiful? I know it costs dear but you have told me that money is no price and I promise Harold that no more after this. This is beautiful enough!"

He hugs her and says,

"Oh, you don't worry about that...I think you'll need some shoes with that and some gloves. You just go get them and don't worry your pretty little head about it"

She smiles as she lays her head on his chest and he looks dead to he world without her seeing it.

Later that day, Harold walks into the lobby of a hotel and he looks around then he goes to the front desk and he hits the bell sitting on the desk then a smaller man comes out and he asks,

"Yes, how may I help you?"

Harold clears his throat then says,

"I'm uh, Timothy Krolick, I'm here to talk some business with Mister Rutherford; can you tell me what room he is in?"

The man looks back at the little cubbyhole behind him and he says,

"Mister Rutherford is in our best room, number 205 but he isn't in. He said he is not supposed to be back until around 8."

Harold smiles and tips his hat then says,

"Thank you, I'll just catch him later then"

The little man goes back in the room where he came from and Harold takes a deep breath and takes out his pocket watch and looks at it then looks around the room.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I

Later that night, Harold is standing outside of the hotel when he sees the man that he knows as James Rutherford walk up to the hotel. Harold even nods his head at the man as the man goes in.

He then waits at least 30 minutes or more for the man to go upstairs then he slowly strides in.

He looks around and sees the man at the desk turned around so he can't see Harold going up the stairs to Rutherford's room. Harold get to his room and carefully looks around, doesn't see anybody so he sneaks in, he hears Rutherford in the water closet on the other side of the room and he looks around then sees the closet in the room and he goes over to it and gets inside and waits.

A few minutes later, Harold hears Harold come out and so he opens the closet door and pushes it wide and he has his gun in his hand ready to shoot Rutherford but he has a shock, James Rutherford is standing there with his own gun locked on at Harold and Harold says,

"You were waiting for me weren't you?"

The man says,

"I haven't dealt with Lucian all these years and not smell when he is up to something. I knew he wasn't going to let me leave here alive with that money and he would send some piece of dirt to do his work...he's always done that to every game I have been in so why should he change his greed now?"

Sweat comes to Harold's brow and he says,

"So, what are we going to do now?"

Rutherford says,

"Well, you are sent to shoot me so shoot me. But I'll tell you, I'll be the one leaving here alive, you won't"

Harold smiles and says,

"You think so?"

Rutherford gives a cocky smile then says in a firm voice,

"I know so"

Harold then doesn't waste a moment, he shoots at Rutherford, the bullet hits him in his thigh and Rutherford shoots him in the ribs then blackness comes.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

**A/N-On 'Crossed Connections', they said that Harold had been in prison for 18 years...I don't think they said why but I don't think you go to jail for 18 years for gambling. Might be wrong but I think you would for attempted murder.**

**Read and review please.**

**Sand n' Sable**


	21. Chapter 21 Sadness and Suspicions

Jonathon starts to go inside where he is going to start working when he hears someone calling for him.

"Jonathon?"

He turns to see Bess walking toward him and he smiles and turns and holds out his hand then she shakes it and says,

"Jonathon, I just came to tell you that Thunder Moon and I are leaving. We 're going to go get my son down in White Rock then we're coming back to Silver Springs"

He looks at her then asks,

"Are you sure?"

She shakes her head "Yes" and he says, "All right, well, all I can do is wish you luck"

She smiles and says, "Thank you Jonathon"

They hug then she says, "Maybe if we ride back through town, we can stop and see you"

He smiles and shakes his head then says,

"I would like that"

Her eyes mist over then she gives him one last squeeze of the hand then she turns and leaves then Jonathon turns and goes inside and he sees Larrabee. Larrabee is putting furs on a high shelf behind the counter but when he sees Jonathon, he smiles and puts the furs down on the cabinet then goes over and shakes Jonathon's hand and he asks, "Ready to go to work?"

Jonathon shakes his head then says, "Yes sir, just tell me what I need to do"

"That's what I like, an anxious worker. Okay, let's start here..."

He goes back around to where the furs are, he lays his hand on them and says,

"I was putting these furs up but when I get them in, first thing I have to do is catalog them. You know, put down what kind they are, what color and how many and I put that all down in here..."

He picks up a book to show Jonathon then says. "Now I have already done that so I'm just putting them on the shelf back here. I'll do that myself most of the times but there will be times that you will have to but mostly you'll be handling stuff in the back. Let's go on back and I'll show you what to do" Jonathon shakes his head then they go on to the back room.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Harold wakes up in a hospital room, somewhere near Minneapolis, the room is empty except for 4 more beds and a heater in the corner of the room then the door opens and a man comes in the room in a hospital lab coat and he says, "Good, you are awake". He comes over and checks Harold's pulse and heartbeat and Harold asks. "Where am I?"

"You're in Xavier hospital but you'll be transferred to Minneapolis prison as soon as you're a bit better...I'm sorry"

Harold looks at the sunlight coming in the room and the pain he feels doesn't just come from the bullet in his thigh, it comes from knowing what he has done to Alice. He looks at the doctor then asks. "Has my wife been here?" For the longest time, he doesn't say anything then he finally says, "A young woman was here and she asked to be informed on your condition. I'll get somebody to go tell her...but she said she won't be back"

The doctor walks to the door then he stops and he says. "My name is doctor Melton if you need me". Harold can't do anything but lay in bed and feel the pain throbbing.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

After several hours of working in the supply room of _'Judd's Furs'_, Jonathon comes out into the main part of the building and he sees a man in there standing at the counter and he has a gun sling holder in his hand. The gun sling is a shiny brown that can hold many bullets and he and Judd Larrabee say something then the man puts it down and Judd gives him some money and the man leaves then Jonathon asks. "What was he doing?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you...sometimes people come here and bring things to sell or trade". Judd tell him and then he picks up a different book than what he showed him earlier then says. "When they do that, put it in this book...we don't do too much business on furs but we do better on that" Jonathon smiles and shakes his head

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Back in Minneapolis, Alice sits in a room that is partly dark because of the curtains drawn and she has a deep sad face on. The door opens and in comes her mother, Elma Beningford comes in and she looks at her daughter then she comes over to her and she says. "Alice, you need to come out" Alice looks at her mother then slowly asks, "Why? You know I have always loved this room. It's nice and secluded...far in the back, where people can't stare at you in windows" "Nobody is staring at you". Her mother says.

Alice gives a sarcastic smile then says, "Mother, they have been ever since it happened...they say they are _'so sorry'_ that it happened and that they pity me, I can't stand it!" Elma sits down and she thinks on her next words then she says, "Alice, why don't you go to see you Aunt Bethel in Drywood, Kansas? I think it will do you good to get out" Alice gets up and walks around the room and thinks about what her mother has said then she says. "I don't know..."

Elma puts her hand on her head then sighs then says. "Alice, I think it's best. You can't stay in here forever and hide, this will do you some good" Alice then thinks on it some more than says. "I think I will" Elma smiles then stands up and says. "Good, I will send your Aunt a wire as soon as possible, she's been wanting you to come see her. She hasn't seen you since you were a little girl" Alice smiles a bit then says, "Thank you momma"

Elma starts to walk out of the room when a knock comes on the front door. She looks at Alice than goes to answer it and a few minutes later, she comes back. She steps in the room and Alice looks at her, wondering what is going on then Elma steps back to the side a bit and in comes a young man with black hair then he says. "Mrs. Crummings, I'm an orderly from Xavier hospital. I was sent to tell you that your husband is awake".

Alice doesn't say a word, nor does anybody else in the room then the orderly just leaves and Elma and Alice still don't say anything but then Alice finally says, "At least I won't be a widow". She then leaves the room then Elma goes to send a wire to her sister.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII

It was now lunchtime in Drywood, Jonathon was staying in the shop while Judd goes and takes a quick-lunch. Jonathon was just tidying up around the place when an elderly woman carrying a large package comes in. Jonathon comes around from the counter to go help hold the door for the woman to come in, he smiles that big, friendly smile and says,

"Hello" . The woman smiles up at him and says, "Hello. Is Judd not here?" Jonathon shakes his head and he says, "No ma'am, he's taking his lunch now but I can help you, I'm Jonathon"

She puts down the package on the counter then takes off her glove to shake his hand then says. "I'm Phoebe Birthwich and my husband died a few months back. I need some money to go back East to be with my family...I'm here to sell my tea set, to get some money from it"

She turns to the package and takes the top off and she carefully begins to take each piece out and says, "It's a 6 piece set as you can see, it's got the coffee pot, the teapot, a creamer, a 'waste boy, a little sugar bowl and it comes with a serving tray"

The tea set is sterling silver with a beautiful "ribbed" design...Jonathon carefully looks over it and he then says,

"Well, it is beautiful set and..." He looks at her and says, "I'm sorry about your husband but I'm afraid all I can offer is 8 dollars"

She looks at him in shock and she beams and says. "Eight dollars! Oh mercy me! I was afraid I wouldn't even get that! Oh thank you mister..." Jonathon then says, "I said my name is Jonathon ma'am" He goes over and gets her money out of a box, gives it to her and she leaves happily and Jonathon puts the tea set on the tray and puts it in the window.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII i

Later when Judd comes back, he stands in front of Jonathon and when Jonathon tells him about the tea set, Larrabee's face goes in shock and he says. "What!?"

Jonathon shrugs his shoulders and says, "I bought a tea set from a Mrs. Phoebe Birthwich for 8 dollars" Larrabee puts his hands out and says. "But you could have bought it for less" "Maybe so but she said her husband died a few months ago and she needed the money to go back east, so I felt she needed a little extra" Jonathon tells him then Larrabee asks him, "Birthwich you say?" Jonathon shakes his head and Larrabee says, "Yes, her husband died a few months back and she may me going back east but her husband left her money" Jonathon thinks on it then says, "Maybe you just better handle this part of the shop" Larrabee slaps him on the back then says, "Oh, you'll get the hang of this son, just remember to go low"

They then go to the back of the shop.

Later that evening, after work, Jonathon is walking home and after a long days work, he is hanging his head. He doesn't see Mrs. Phoebe Birthwith sitting on a bench with a ragged suitcase waiting for the afternoon stage. Just then the stagecoach pulls up and she gets up, gets her little suitcase and she and Jonathon run into each other. Her clothes fall out of the suitcase and she scrambles to try to get them and Jonathon says, "Oh, I'm sorry ma'am. I reckon my head was in the clouds"

She just smiles and says, "That's okay, can you help me gather my things together?" "Yes ma'am" He picks up a few of her dresses then when he turns around to give them to her, he sees her little ragged excuse of a case then he says, "That's yours ma'am?" She looks at it and sadly says, "Yes, it is. I wish I could have a new one but I have to make by with this old thing" Jonathon scratches his head then says, "Why didn't you get a new one with the money your husband left?"

She looks at him and says, "Who told you that? Winston didn't leave me any money...oh, I had enough left for a few months rent and today you gave me enough money to buy a ticket east...oh, thank you again" She manages somehow to get her clothes back in and Jonathon helps her on the stagecoach and then they drive off leaving Jonathon to wonder.

**A/N-I know this wasn't a very exciting chapter but I'm just trying to show the turning of Larrabee. He's a mean one Jonathon just doesn't have an idea how mean yet. If you have some ideas, please tell me, I'm not too good on showing meanness! Ha!**

**Sand n' Sable**


	22. Chapter 22 Alice says Goodbye

A week later, Alice woke up and she opened her eyes an looked at the morning sunshine pouring in. She squinted then sighed, she turned over and got up on the other side of the bed and she went to the water closet. When she came out, she put on all her undergarments, petticoats and a pair of black stockings. She went over to her closet and got out a grey skirt and blouse, put them on then she went to her dresser and got a pair of black gloves with small stitching designs on then she went back to her closet and picked out a small black jacket to put over her shoulders. Then she finally put on a tiny black hat with little flowers sticking out and when she is satisfied with her looks, she goes out to the kitchen and sees her mother, Elma; sitting at the breakfast table.

Her mother looks at her frowning and Alice just ignores her and goes over and pours herself a small cup of coffee and picks up a little doughnut and eats it then finally, her mother asks her daughter. "I see you haven't changed your mind" . Alice just ever so slightly just moves her head then without looking at her mother, tells her. "No, I haven't". Her mother takes a sip of coffee then puts it down then says. "I just don't see why you think you have to go".

Alice tells her. "I don't have to go, it's just that I owe...". Before Alice can finish speaking, her mother says. "You don't owe that man a thing!" Alice speaks up and says. "It's not him I owe, it's myself!" Alice puts down the cup and gets up and turns and quickly goes out. She stands in front of their house and she looks around and sees the children running off to school and the town coming alive and she takes a deep breath then adjusts her gloves then takes off down the steps to the gate, opens it and heads off to where her husband is.

Back in Drywood, Jonathon is at work and he is putting boxes and cases in order in the back room than after a while, he takes a break and he really listens to what is going on in front. He hears a lot of people moving in and out, he smiles because business is good and he walks to the door and when he looks, he sees a man at the counter selling furs to Judd. He gives Judd Larrabee some money then Jonathon watches as the money changes hand. He watches Larrabee slowly put the money in the box and as he watches, he assumes Judd is giving the man change but something is bothering him as he watches.

Alice stands in front of the hospital where Harold is, she looks up at the hospital and gulps then she takes a deep breath and goes in. She walks in and looks around then goes to a desk where a nurse sits and she clears her throat then says. "Excuse me". The nurse looks up at her and Alice says. "I'm here to see Harold Crummings". The nurse shakes her head then says. "I'll go tell the doctor and he'll take you to him" The nurse leaves and Alice waits nervously around, she taps her foot and looks at her gloved hand and her fingers dance around then the doctor comes and he says.

"I'm Doctor Melton, may I help you?" Alice looks at him and she nervously says, "I , uh, I'm Alice Crummings...Harold's wife, I would like to see him...if, if that's okay". He smiles then says. "Of coarse, follow me...he has been asking for you". She looks at him and she asks. "He has?" He look at her and can't understand her question then says, "Why, yes, he has. Why shouldn't he ask about such a beautiful young woman?" She blushes then he stands in front of the door to Harold's room then says. "This is his room, call me if you need me". She nods her head and waits for him to leave then she takes off her glove then hesitantly knocks on the door.

She hears Harold say. "Come in ." She opens the door then just stands in the door way while Harold just looks at her in shock then he finally says. "Come on in Alice." She takes a step or two in and closes the door behind her then looks at her husband then says. "I'm glad you are better Harold."

He gives a weak smile than says. "Well, you either have to get better from a bullet or die." She tries to give a weak laugh to that but the laughter quickly dies out then Harold asks, "Why are you here Alice?" She walks around the room then says. "I came to tell you that I'm leaving to go to my aunts for awhile." He sadly shakes his head then says. "I understand...to let talk die down." She smiles then says. "That, but I just need to get away"

Silence falls between them then Harold tells her. "Alice, I'm pleading guilty...there won't be any trail that will embarrass you and...I did shoot that man ." Alice hangs her head then asks him. "Why?" He looks at her then tells her. " I owed a lot of money to a man and I was supposed to kill this other man for my debt but it went wrong" Her heart pounds in her ears like an Indian beating on a drum then she asks. "Did...did you love me or was I just a trophy for you?" "Alice, you were the reason I gambled..you were the reason I tried to kill that man I wanted to give you the best ." She gets a handkerchief out of her gloves and wipes her tears away then says. "To me, you were the best"

Just then a deputy comes in the room then he says. "I'm sorry but I'm here to take Mister Crummings down to the jail now for wait to transport to prison" Alice shakes her head and turns her head while the officer puts the handcuffs on Harold then she hears him say. "Goodbye Alice ." She nods her head then he says the last words she will ever hear from him. "You do look pretty today Alice." She turns completely to the window and just hears their footsteps and the door close as they leave.

Jonathon is building an extra counter in the office where he works. He is squatted down seeing about a nail for the inside of the counter when the door opens and Jonathon hears a man asking. "Is somebody here?" Jonathon comes out and he says. "I am. Jonathon pulls his head out to see a young and nice looking black man and woman. The man holds a bunch of rabbit furs and he goes to shake Jonathon's hand and he says. "I hear you buy and sell furs." Jonathon shakes his head and shakes his head then says. "You heard right." The black man holds up the furs then says. "Well, I got some. Can you buy?" Jonathon shakes his head and starts to tell him, "Just put them..."

He is interrupted by Judd Larrabee saying. "NO". Jonathon turns to look at him and he asks. "What?" Judd just stubbornly sets his jaw in place and he says. "We ain't buying from niggers"

Shocked, Jonathon looks at him and asks again. "What?" Judd just says. "You heard me, we ain't buying from no nigger " Jonathon says. "It's money" Judd looks at him then says, "We ain't needing money so bad as to take it from them...let him go to Walsh. " Larrabee turns and leaves on his heels and silence is only in the room then Jonathon says. " I can give you directions to Walsh's furs across town." The black man looks at him then says in a voice laced with anger. "We can find our way there." The young couple then leave and Jonathon is left wondering about his boss.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 

Alice walks back to her mother's house and she opens the door and when her mother sees her, she breathes of relief then says. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you. I was afraid...". Alice looks at her and asks. "Afraid of what?" Elma tells her. "That you would take him back, wait for him." Alice nods her head no then Elma says. "It's about time for the stage to get here"

Alice shakes her head then says. "Let's go then"

Alice picks up her bag and Elma picks up another one and she says to her daughter. "At least with the way you a dressed, people will think you are in mourning , they don't have to know that your husband disgraced you by going to prison. " Alice looks at her then just plainly says, "I am in mourning mother, for a lost marriage"

They then go on to wait for the stage to come and Alice go on her trip to try to forget. No other words are spoken between mother and daughter...when they get to the stage, Elma and Alice hug. Then Alice turns and the driver helps her inside and Alice sits by the window and she waves to her mother as the stage goes on down the road.

**A/N-I am trying to start showing how mean and ugly Larrabee can get but like I told somebody, I guess I have a problem with that because I'm so sweet! LOL! **

**If anybody has any suggestions for my next few chapters with Larrabee, just please share with me! Either in a review or PM!**

**Sand n' Sable**


	23. Chapter 23 Judd's True Chracter

Tensions were running high between Jonathon and Judd Larrabee and one day Jonathon is working around Larrabee's fur/ trade shop when a confederate soldier walks in. Jonathon looks up, sees him and nods his head to him in respect...Judd just looks at him in disdain and grunts. The soldier looks at Jonathon and walks around him and taking glancing looks at him then he finally walks over to him and he asks. "Private Jonathon Garvey?" Jonathon looks up at him and looks at him closely then his face looks in shock and he says. "Elijah! Elijah Griffith! "

The men hug each other and pat themselves on the back and Judd asks. "You were in the war ?"Jonathon nods his head then Judd asks. "Why didn' t you tell me?" Jonathon shrugs his shoulders and says. "It's not exactly something to brag about, especially to me". Elijah looks at Jonathon and asks. "How are you Jonathon nods his head slightly then says. "I'm doing fine". Elijah then says. "Last I heard, you were in Tennessee, what are you here for?"Jonathon tells him. "Well, after the war was over, I drifted around; got to drinking. Got in trouble then I stumbled on a job helping a woman bring some furs up here and I got a job here". Jonathon looks over the Elijah then says to him. "I see you stayed in the army and did good...Major!" Elijah laughs and looks down at his stripes and both he and Jonathon start talking about the times in the war. Then a young man comes in, the young man has cotton white hair like a rabbit, blue eyes and a such a tender and innocent face that you can tell something...is differenet about him. Judd looks at him and says. "Ellison!"

Ellison just smiles and waves at him and Judd asks. "What are you doing here Ellison?" The boy goes right on in and he says. "Well, my paw and I are going camping for a few days and well, he sent me here to buy one of those campfire pots on account of ours got ruined the last time we went camping". Jonathon looks at Elijah and asks Ellison. "How do you ruin one of those?" Ellison laughs like a snickering child then says. "Well, when you leave a pot in a pen with an angry bull, it happens"

All of them give a hearty laugh than Judd says. "Well, they are called a dutch oven boy and I don't normally carry one but I just happen to have one...". Judd walks over to the window and pulls one from it and he says. "That will be $ 13.00 boy". Jonathon looks at Elijah and whispers. "That isn't the price I saw on it a while ago". Ellison says. "I don't know if I can get that, my paw only gave me so much to spend". Judd looks at him and says. "Well, you do need it to eat and it lasts a mighty long time when a bull don't get it". Ellison laughs and they don't see the Major walking around them quietly and he looks down at the price tag on the dutch oven then he says. "Seems to me you need glasses sir, that says $ 3.00, not $ 13" . A slow anger builds up inside and he makes a quick cover for himself and says. "Oh, I guess you're right stranger. I thought I saw a one beside it." Ellison smiles a mile wide then he says. "Well, I'll take it!"

Ellison gives him the money and happily goes on with his new dutch oven and Elijah looks at Larrabee with disgust then he says. "Jonathon, I'm going to be here for a few more days with my unit. We'll get together later". Jonathon says. "See you later Elijah". Elijah leaves and Larrabee and Jonathon do a stare off then Larrabee says. "See what you and you and your friend cost me! Some good money!" Jonathon snorts then says. "By cheating a boy like Ellison!" Larrabee just says. "Baaahh! Would be a good lesson for a boy like that! hmpf, you and you secesh friend come in here and..." Jonathon raises his hand then says. "Hold on, you calling him a secesh, well, you might as well call me that!"

They both turn around from each other than Jonathon says. "I better go take those furs out to Hughes place and both of us cool down before any more words are said". Larrabee grunts then says. "I suspect your right"

Jonathon goes to the store-room and comes out with a handful of rabbit furs and goes out to the store's wagon while Judd fumes.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooo

Jonathon puts the furs in the back of the wagon and he looks up at the sky then he finishes packing the furs in and gets up in the seat, grabs the reigns, clicks his mouth to the horses to go and he lets his anger at Larrabee drift away.

He drives out-of-town and he looks around at his surroundings. Out from town there is not much to see but the tall prairie grass blowing in the September wind. He sees the animals, the prairie dog running around and giving its bark to its friends and he smiles then he sees a rabbit run in its hole and and he thinks he sees a buck running in the woods, frightened at the sight of a human.

He drives out of the paire and into desert land. He looks around and gets uncomfortable as he remembers the sand storm that he and Bess went through. But he looks at the desert mountains...the small ones and the large ones and he smiles. He then notices a bad squeal coming from the break pad on his wagon, he tries to fix it himself, he reaches down and runs his hand around and thinks he fixes things but the squeaking continues and they go about another 1/4 of a mile but then the horses finally break loose and the wagon veers off a little hill and into the woods with him screaming.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooo

Jonathon slowly pulls himself up the cliff and he has cuts, bruises and dirt all over him. When he finally gets himself back on the road where he veered off, he gives a deep sigh and falls down. He looks at the sun and realizes it is now mid-afternoon. He gets up and looks down at the wagon wreak and even tho it is not a far fall, he realizes how lucky he is.

He just turns around and heads back for the town of Drywood.

Two hours later, he finally walks back into town, beaten down and very thirsty. Some of the town's residents see him and come running to him, a man and his wife is the first and he asks.

"Lord a mercy Jonathon, what happened?" Jonathon tells him. "Wagon ran off the road back in the desert between Drywood and Concrete Junction...got to sit down". The man gets Jonathon and helps him to a chair then he turns to a 17-year-old girl coming down the road and he says. "Sally, go get him a drink". The girl does as she is told and brings him a cup and Jonathon drinks it down...very quickly and he says. "More". Sally runs and gets it and the woman who is with the man says. "Jonathon, you need doc Braddish to take a look at you"

Jonathon shakes his head then says. "I'm okay, just cuts". The woman shakes her head and she tells the girl. "Sally, you go fetch the doctor and tell him to come down here". The girl shakes her head and runs as fast as she can across the street to the doctor's office meanwhile Judd comes running down and he asks him. "I heard! Are you okay?" Jonathon nods his head then says. "Yes, I think I'll be okay". The man standing next to Jonathon says. "Sally ran over to get the doc". Judd nods his head then looks around then asks Jonathon. "Where are the furs? Did you get them to old man Hughes?" Jonathon shakes his head no then says. "No, the wagon went off the road before I got there". Judd looks at him then asks. "Are you sure?" The woman looks up at Larrabee shocked and she asks. "Judd Larrabee! How can you say such a thing?! Look at him! He's all cut up!"

Larrabee snorts then says. "He could have done that to himself". The man then says. "Why would he do that?" Larrabee shoots back. "To steal my furs! He didn't like what I was going to do to that Ellison boy and he took them to get even!" She looks up at Judd then asks. "What did he do?" Jonathon looks at Judd with disgust then says. "He was going to cheat him, charge him twice as much as what he was buying cost". She looks at Judd in disgusting horror as does the man and she says. "That sweet boy! Judd, how could you! That boy and his father have enough on their hands without you adding to their misery!" Judd looks at them like a wildcat in a cage then he says. "Aw, it would have been a good lesson for the boy, toughen him up! He stole my furs ! I want this man arrested!"

Jonathon tells him. "Now, hold on, your furs aren't going anywhere! They are out in the desert where that wreck is!" Judd grumbles some then says. "Then let's go get them ". The man standing beside Jonathon grabs Judd by the elbow then says. "Hold on Judd, if you recall that section of land is where no man is going to go at night". Judd jerks his elbow away and he sees a crowd gathering around all of them and he says. "Aw, that's just stupid kid stories !" The man looks him square in the eye and says. " Kid imaginations or whatever waits out there at night, you ain't getting no man to go in that patch of desert tonight Judd. There's been too many men that died out there, so just simmer down and wait until morning". All the men behind him yell. "Yeah! I ain't going!" Another man says. "If you want your furs so bad, you go and get killed, but as soon as you leave; we'll go get the preacher man to start making plans for your funeral"

Jonathon looks around then asks. "What's going on? What about that land?" The man beside him tells him. "For about the last 30 years or so, seems like everybody who goes out there...well, we've buried every person who has gone out there and camped out, got half a graveyard full". Jonathon looks around then says. "I'm here". The woman says. "You were out there during the day"

Everybody goes silent then Judd says. "Ain't no matter! I want this man arrested!" Just then an elderly man in a black suit comes and he says. "Nobody is going anyplace until I take a look at this man so just get out-of-the-way Judd Larrabee!" Judd moves back as doc Braddish checks Jonathon's cuts and bruises. Judd just continues to stare in anger as the crowd mumbles among themselves.

**A/N-I'm sorry for not getting this up sooner but I worked on my Halloween story, 'Popcorn Balls' last week.**

**The character of Ellison was based after the "Hatfield and McCoy" boy, Cotton top.**

**If ya'll remember, my story doesn't exactly go by the television Little House show so I had Jonathon be a drummer boy in the war of the states.**

**Sand n' Sable.**


	24. Chapter 24 Drywood

Jonathon was walking along side this other man who was older and with a rough beard on his face and the oil lamp on the wall shines on his sheriff's badge and he says. "I'm sorry Jonathon to do this but with that Judd Larrabee out there bellowing like a stuck mule, I'm thinking that it might be safer for both of us to put you in jail for the time being until a trail is done". Jonathon stops and looks at him and says. "A trail! Now, you know I didn't steal no furs". The sheriff shakes his head then says. "I know Jonathon but a trail is going to be the only thing to satisfy him and I'm sorry but he is a big enough man around these parts to get a ruckus with the law started ". Jonathon looks around then he says. "I suspect you are right, I just don't like staying in jail when I didn't do anything"

The sheriff gets the jail keys and puts him in and Jonathon steps in the cell and looks around then goes to sit on the bed then the office door opens and in comes Elijah. Jonathon gets up and he says. "Elijah!" He goes over and he says. "I heard about this Jonathon". Jonathon tells him. "I didn't do it Elijah". Elijah waves it away then says. "I know you didn't do anything wrong Jonathon, just tell me what happened?" Jonathon sighs then tells him. " This morning, you remember my boss?" Elijah shakes his head then asks. "The one who tried to cheat that boy?" This time Jonathon shakes his head and says. "Well, he is accusing me of stealing his furs". Elijah rolls his eyes then says. " How are you to have supposed to have done that?" Jonathon tells him the story of how after Elijah left, Jonathon and Larrabee were sharing words then before they could get really heated, Jonathon went to go deliver some furs but got in the wagon wreak, came in town without the furs and Larrabee accused him of stealing.

Elijah grunts then asks. "Why doesn't anybody go back for the furs now?" Jonathon than tells him. "Well, it's dark now...there's no moon to even light a path and besides that...there's some kind of local legend...apprantly where I had the wreck, at night when men or whoever is out there has been disappear or outright get killed so nobody is willing to go out there, even Larrabee won't" Elijah thinks on that then says. "I'll see you later". Jonathon looks at him in surprise then asks. "What are you going to go do?" Elijah back on out of the office to the door and says. "Don't worry, you'll see in a bit". Jonathon says rather loudly. "Elijah!"

Jonathon just hits the bars then goes and sits down on the bed sulking.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

At that time, Alice's stagecoach comes riding into town. It stops in front a magnificent hotel in the middle of town and the driver gets down and helps Alice out then he goes and climbs up and gets her bag then comes down and says. "I'm sorry ma'am for us being so late getting here. It just takes so long to fix a wagon wheel when it breaks down in the middle of nowhere...maybe someday they will make a wheel that won't break". She gives a weak smile and she says. "I understand, it's fine"

She takes her bag and start-up the steps into the lobby of the hotel and she opens the door and looks around at the modest decorations of a fine hotel and she walks up to the desk, rings the bell and a man comes and she says. "I'm here for a room". He smiles and says. "Just sign in, we just have one room left". She signs her name in the book and says. "That's fine" He turns and gets the key off his board then says. "It's room 305, it's the last room on the right". She takes the key and nods her head then picks up her bags and turns and goes to the elevator, gets in and rides to her room.

The elevator stops and gets off then walks down the long hallway to her room, she opens the door, goes in, throws her bag on the bed and takes off her hat then walks over to the window, looks out at the stars darkness on the ground and the few people walking around and she says to nobody but herself. "At least I can hide in the darkness". She sees Elijah Griffith walk in a hurry to somewhere.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O

The next morning, Jonathon turns over on his cot and slowly wakes up, the morning sunlight comes through the bars and he shields his eye from the glare then he wipes the sleep out of his eye then gets up and walks over to the bar and the sheriff looks at him and says. "Morning, want a cup?" Jonathon shakes his head and says. "Please". The sheriff pours him a cup and takes it to him then goes back and pours himself one then Jonathon asks. "Have you heard anything?"

The sheriff shakes his head then says. "Yep...". He takes a sip of his coffee then says. "Larrabee is making a fuss...from what I hear, he went over and got Drywood's only judge up at the crack of dawn, he's determined to get this thing done before the evening sun sets" Jonathon takes a sip then he says. "Well, so do I but I don't have a lawyer". The sheriff sits down at his desk then says. "We can get that Newton Lincoln, he'll be glad to do it and from what chatter I hear, Larrabee will represent himself...man won't spend a dime to get a lawyer. He 's Drywood's "Scrooge". Jonathon snickers as does the sheriff then Jonathon asks. "What about getting a jury?" The sheriff takes another sip then he says to Jonathon. "Drywood is a growing town, we can scrounge up 12 men but the problem is finding somebody that's not against Judd Larrabee, he's cheated and done wrong to near about everybody, you're just the first person to actually stand up to him and call him out"

Jonathon takes one last sip of his coffee then says. "That's nice to know but that isn't going to help me in this". The sheriff gets out his pocket watch, looks at the time and says. "We better get down there, it's after 8. We'll stop by Newt's". Jonathon shakes his head then puts down his cup, the Sheriff goes over and unlocks the door then gets the handcuffs out to put on Jonathon. He looks at Jonathon and says. "You are still a prisoner and I best treat you that way or Larrabee's liable to cause more trouble than a pack of bees". Jonathon shakes his head and he puts out his hands then when the sheriff puts the cuffs on they leave.

Alice gets up, she goes over to the window and she pulls back the blinds and she looks outside at the people on the street running to start their day at work. She hears a knock at the door, so she goes over and opens it and looks down and there is a cup of warm brewed coffee and a newspaper, curtsey of the hotel. She gets them and goes back inside. She sits down at the small table and starts drinking her coffee then she gets up and picks a beautiful white dress with black outlines on it. After putting on all her petticoats, she gets dressed in the dress and black boots, she then chooses a black hat with netting on the front, that goes down in front of the face. She packs her bag again and goes out.

She goes back down to the desk in the lobby. She rings the bell and the manager of the hotel comes out and she says. "I came by to pay my bill, I'm checking out now" . The man says. "Yes ma'am, could you tell me your name again?" "Yes, Alice Beninford". He looks up the bill then he says. "$ 3.00 ma'am...can I ask you where you are going?" She looks at him and says. "I'm going to stay with my Aunt for a while". He smiles and she takes out the money to pay him then she hears some rather loud men talking about Larrabee and Jonathon.

"I can't belive that old goat is making such a fuss to get a trail done in the next day or two!" The other man grunts and says. "Ugh, you haven't known Larrabee as long as I have, he'll do anything to get money or get revenge on losing money". The other man then asks. "Do you think that young fella did it?" The man shrugs his shoulders then says. "Garvey seems like a good young man but you never know". They then walk on and Alice turns to the manager and asks. "Goodness, what are they talking about?" The manager tells her. "Oh, a local man has accused his worker of stealing some property from him so a drummed up trail is happening in town, since you are here for a while, I suspect you will hear about it"

Alice closes up her purse than says. "I do hope they get it straighten out. Good day sir". She turns and picks up her bag then leaves. When she gets outside, she looks out at the people then she pulls down the thick, black netting over her face from her hat and she goes down the street. Unknown to her, Jonathon comes from the same direction she is and he bumps into her and he says. "Oh, excuse me ma'am". She doesn't even really look at Jonathon and says. "It's fine, no harm done" She just goes on walking down the street to her aunt's house and Jonathon looks puzzled then the sheriff says. "Come on Jonathon, let's go on to Newton's". Jonathon can't take his eyes off of Alice heading down the street but he says. "Yeah".

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

At that time Elijah comes into the part of the desert strip that Jonathon had the wreck in and he looks down and sees the broken wagon in the ravine.

**A/ N-I checked, elevators was invented in 1857, so in the timeline I am using Alice should use one and if you recall, when Charles and Caroline went to their reunion, there was one in the hotel, but he wouldn't get on it but one has to wonder if Caroline did later? Hmmmmm.**

**Reviews, please.**

**Sand n' Sable**


	25. Chapter 25 Mystery of Dry Mills

Elijah goes to the section of land that Jonathon described. It was about twenty, twenty-five miles away from town . He looks around and at first he saw nothing mysterious or spooky about the place. The morning sun is coming up and he sees the morning dew on the prairie flowers that are along the road but they became sparse the further in he goes. He sees trees, a few strong ones but then he notices they are becoming more bent over as he goes in and before long sees one fallen by the side of the road. He looks at the sand dunes and sees a rabbit that was scared running for its hole, Elijah hears a prairie dog in the background and he scratches his chin. Because he saw nothing frightening, he wondered what was so scary about this place?

He shrugs his shoulders and walks down the little path that's only wide enough for a wagon. He walks a bit until he begins to sees tracks of a wagon that had gone off course. They kept going until they reached the edge of the cliff. He looked down and sees a broken wagon which he assumes is the one Jonathon had his accident in and Elijah scrambles down the mountain until he comes to the wagon and he looks around. And he sees a torn white rag that he hopes covered the furs but when he pulls it back, he doesn't see any.

He curses under his breath and throws the rag back down . Elijah stopped and took time to think. That was when he smelled it...a terrible, foul smell that is a cross between a skunk and a dead animal. He looks around to see if he can see the source of the smell and he doesn't. Elijah takes off his hat to try to wave it away. The waving hat didn't help. Elijah puts his hat back on and lets out a low whistle.

Elijah jumps down from the wagon and walks up to where the horses SHOULD be. He sees a broken tounge of the wagon and the horses' broken harnesses . He realizes the prairie dog has quit barking, which isn't unusual in itself but...nothing else is making any sounds either; he doesn't even feel a breeze of the morning. Due to the fact that he felt his search was urgent, Elijah dismissed the uneasy feeling that came with the complete silence and continued walking around looking for the horses. Soon he sees them about ten feet in the distance; they are lying on the prairie floor ...dead.

Elijah runs up to where they lay opposite of each other. Thiers bellies have been ripped open, but nothing is inside. Someone has reached in and made sure they took everything out, like gutting a fish. It sickens him, and he shutters slightly.

Elijah wonders if this was the foul order that he was smelled, but somehow he knew it wasn't. He looks closer at the horses; their eyes are clouded over in death has remained in their eyes . The whole scene chilled the U.S. Army soldier down to the bones. He gulps and his heart beat a million times a minute. He stood up and walked on. As he walked, Elijah happened to look up on top of the mountain. To the left of him, Elijah saw an edge of a forest! It was then that he realized he wasn't in a stretch of a desert. The area was just an overgrown abandoned large patch of prairie woods. He looks around for a way to get up the hill and sees a barely visible path and he climbs up on it.

Elijah then realizes that the woods were thick with trees and briars were coming in from every direction. For a moment, he wondered why he was going in, but then he saw something. It looked like steps, maybe. He couldn't help but wonder where the steps led to, so he went in. He felt his heart beat faster with every step while every hair on his body stood up. The closer he got the more he realized that he is on the stops to an old abandoned building...a house? No...the more he looked, the more Elijah saw the building had once been a business of some sort. He started walking to the end of the porch, but then he heard something, something he will remember for the rest of his days on earth.

The sound starts out low at first. At first Elijah thinks it is just an owl but the sound grew louder and louder until he can barely stand it any longer but there is no way to stop it. The sound just grows more and more intense, Elijah realized the sound he was hearing was not being made by any animal he had ever heard. The sound stopped just as it started.

Elijah was confused, but he continued to walk down to the end of the porch and he looked around. He realized that the building must have been a mill of some kind, he sees the large water wheel beside it but not one drop of water flows from it, it just stands there with the broken wood and he looks down to see an old, dry creek bed full of leaves and sticks from the forest. Just then he hears a clap of thunder off in the distant. Elijah looks up while the wind starts blowing; he pulls his jacket closer together and wonders where the weather popped up from. It was strange for this time of year, but he turns and goes inside. He steps in and sees what one could expect. There was three rooms that he could see right off, the room in front of him, the doors were open and he could see spaces on the floor where machinery used to be, the room to the right and the left; the doors were ajar and he could see empty crates in them and crumpled up newspapers and leaves, looks up and sees the broken windows and feels the cold wind coming in.

Elijah walked further in and soon found himself in the largest room. Once inside the room he looks over towards the left hand corner and saw a stack of furs, he wondered if they could be Jonathon's but there was no proof but how else could they have got there ? He marches over to them and starts to bend down to inspect them when something picks him up by the back of his shirt and pants. Before he knew it he was being thrown across the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Several hours later in Drycreek inside of a large room a man is sitting behind a huge desk, the judge's table. The judge has salt and pepper hair, coal-black eyes and is wearing a grey three-piece suit. Jonathon and his lawyer sit at a table that sits a few feet away, and to the left of the judge. In fron of the judge's desk and a few get to the right Judd Larrabee sits at another table with a huge scowl on his face. Alongside the east wall is twelve chairs, six in front of the six that is against the wall. The judge wipes away sweat from his brow then he says, "Mister Larrabee, it's twenty minutes until noon, we have only three jurors and we need 9 more . On top of that, it's hotter than somebody cooking fried chicken on the fourth of July. Can we get this snail pace going any faster?" Judd hits his fist on the table and at the same time, the judge hits his mallet on his table to get Judd's and everyone's attention and says. "You just watch yourself Judd Larrabee, unless you want thrown out of this court or go live in the local jail!" Judd then says, "I'm sorry your honor but I'm trying to get the best I can for this trail!"

Everybody in the room makes low chuckling and guffaws sounds at Judd saying that then the judge looks at him and says, "Well, whatever you are trying to do hurry it along; at noon I'm calling for a lunch break so I can go eat my wife's Kidney pie. What the rest of you do is of your own doing. I'd call for a cool spell for twenty degrees cooler but for some reason even judge's can't do that"

Everybody laughs, and then the bailiff says, "Jessie Lewis, you are called!" A man in a tan shirt and pants stands up and walks up to the chair. The dozen or so people who were in the courtroom were watching Mister Lewis and they didn't see the judge turning pale and how his breathing is getting shallow and just as Judd asks the man, "Now mister Lewis...". The judge then falls out of his chair, he kneels beside him and checks his breathing then looks up and hollers. "Somebody go get Doc Braddish!" Everybody strains to see what is going on and hears the sound of scuffling of feet as somebody races for the doctor.

**A/N-This is my 3rd rewrite of this chapter, I now have a beta for my Little House stories.**

**Please read and review.**

**Sand n' Sable**


	26. Chapter 26 Some Dry Answers

The streets of Drywood was quieter with people streaming into to see the trial of Jonathon Gravy and Judd Larrabee. The room that was being used for the trial was busting at the seam with curious people to see . Mostly because the original judge, Judge Harris suffered a heat stroke so another judge had been called in. Jonathon was sitting at a table with his lawyer, Newton Lincoln and Judd was by himself when the bailiff came in and stood by a side door to the room.

"All rise for Judge Parker!" Everybody rose and a man with faded blond hair came in; he sat down at the head table and picked up a gavel and hit the table with it and he said, "Everybody sit down!" After seeing that the people in attendance sat down, the judge continued, "You probably do know, Judge Harris suffered from heat stroke yesterday, the doctor wants him to rest for a day or two so I'm it"

Judd Larrabee didn't look a bit happy about it and he stood up and said, "You ain't no judge! You're just an old lawyer!" Judge Parker picked up the gravel and banged it down on the table. "Listen Judd Larrabee, unless you want to wait two weeks, I'm it! So sit down and shut up unless it's necessary talk! It's that or jail time for you until man lands on the moon and since I don't see that happening anytime soon, you just might die in that cell!"

Everybody laughed at Judd and he reluctantly sat down. The judge pounded his gavel upon the table and yelled, "Order in the court!" Instantly, the observers grew quiet. "Now Mister Lincoln, from what I understand, we have to get more prospective jury members so that being the case, let's start seeing people"

Newton stood up and answered, "Yes sir. I would like to call Jesse Lewis up to the stand." The same man who was called yesterday stood up and walked to the witness stand. He then sat down and waited for the questioning to begin to see if he was eligible to be on the jury.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Alice sat in a beautiful overstuffed pink chair and looked around at the beautiful surroundings in her aunt's home. Beautiful wall paper with an outdoor scene adorned the wall. She looked over in the corner and saw an amazingly beautiful dressing screen with three huge holes cut out at the top and the screen itself was outlined in expensive wood . Alice looked at the other pieces of furniture in the parlor room and she knew she should be happy but she wasn't . Alice sighed and looked down at the town newspaper **Jonathon Garvey and Judd Larrabee trail to resume today. ** Alice didn't even bother to read the rest of the article. No, she just sighed and looked out the window. As she gazed out the window, a plump woman walked in. The woman looked at Alice and sadly smiled. She walked over to a nearby chair and sat down, taking her niece's hand as she did so. "Honey, you go to do more than just sit here and stew."

Alice took her hand out from her aunt's and sat back. "Oh, I just don't know what to do Auntie." Her aunt smiled and said, "You're just sitting here and running this around in your pretty little head; you go to do something to get it off your mind!"

Alice stood back up and said, "I don't know what that could be." Her aunt starting thinking on something, and then she said, "Weren't you going to become a teacher?"

Alice looked at her aunt and replied, "Well, I was going to take the exam but..."

Her aunt knew Alice was going to say she got married to Harold. Her Aunt quickly stood and said, "Well, there's no one saying you can't take it now! Just go on down to our school in town and take it, I'm sure the town's teacher, Miss Smith would help you"

Alice thought on that idea and then answered, "I might." Her aunt proudly smiled as she got up and left the room and Alice said to herself. "I just might."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Back in the courtroom, several hours later, Judge Parker says, "Now since we all had lunch, let's get this trial started shall we, mister Newton, are you ready?" Newton stands up and he says, "I am your honor." Judge Parker looks at Judd and asks, "Are you ready?" Judd shakes his head then says. "I am your honor"

Parker nodded his head to signal for Newton to start; the man starts to speak to the jury but then a voice spoke up and said, "Excuse me, but I don't think we are even going to have need of a trial!" Everyone turned their heads to see Elijah Griffith holding an old man by the collar. The old man had on old, torn clothes a nd held all the furs that Elijah had found in the abandoned building.

Judge Parker asked, "What's the meaning of this?"

Elijah stopped to the side still holding on to the man; he tipped his hat and answered, "Begging your pardon sir, but I'm bringing in the real criminal." Everybody in the large room gasped and talked.

The judge pounded his gravel again to get order and asked, "Who is this?"

Elijah made sure he had a firmer grip on the man as he replied, "I don't know his name sir, but this man has lived in that stretch of land you people have back there; the one that you say is haunted or something. He's the one that stole the furs."

Another round of talk started up and Parker again pounded his gravel as he barked, "If anybody else speaks above a whisper in here, I'm having them bodily removed! Now, Sergeant, tell me what is going on?"

Elijah forced the man he'd bought in up to the front with Jonathon and Judd carefully watching. Elijah shook the man then answered, "I'm Andrew Grappe; I've lived up there in that abandoned mill for years, been living best I could without anybody's help. I live by whatever I find and a few days ago I found these furs in some wagon wreck; I was planning on selling them for money." He pointed to the furs.

Judd Larrabee stood up and yelled, "Those my furs Judge!"

The judge hit the gravel and glared at Judd. "I warned you Judd! Now, sit down or I'm throwing you in jail the next time for sure!" Judd sat down while Parker asked the man called Mr. Grappe, "You've been the one scaring and killing those people up there?"

Andrew firmly shook his head 'NO', and then answered, "Ain't done NO killing. There's something up in those woods; I don't know what it is and I don't want to know. It stinks worse; well, then times as worse than a skunk! From what I have heard, the sounds it makes would wake the dead up in ten cemeteries."

One man stood up and yelled, "He's making it up! He's done it all! Killing everybody and stealing!"

Andrew tuned around and said, "I ain't done no killing and I'll swear to that on a stack of Bibles and my mother's grave!" The statement just caused more confusion and talk. Judge Parker stood up pounding his gravel four or five times. "Bailiff! Come get those furs! Andrew Grappe, since you admitted to taking those furs, I'm placing you under arrest. And I think it's for you safety that I do so. Mister Garvey, the charges are dropped..." Then he sees Judd getting up to say something so he raised his hand and said, "And the furs will get back to you Judd Larrabee in due time! Case dismissed!"

Jonathon shook Newton's hand while everybody slapped Jonathon's back. They congratulated Jonathon.

Judd Larrabee then overheard a man say, "Judd Larrabee up and accused the first person he could think of ! If he thinks he's losing money, he ain't nothing but a joke!" Judd shot daggers of hate to Jonathon and Jonathon hurried to leave the place they were using for the 'courtroom'.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 

Later that night as Jonathon walked down the semi-deseted streets of Drywood, he looked up and saw the bright full moon. He breathed in the night air and felt the crisp air on his skin and in his lungs. He started to turn around and leave when he heard a sound, a sound unlike anything he'd ever heard. Jonathon knew it wasn't a wolf or any animal he knew of, just a sound that sounded as cold and haunting as death itself. The sound then faded away. As he couldn't see what he could do about it, Jonathon walked away.

**A/N-Back then a person didn't have to go to college to become a teacher, a lot of my friends wish it was that way now.**

**In the Little House show series, they said that the person who had the furs was caught red-handed so this is how I envisioned it.**

**Just a question-Can anybody guess about who are what is behind the mystery? ( Ultimatelaurafan, you can't guess because you already know )**

**Sand n' Sable**


	27. Chapter 27 Just a lazy day with a twist

When Jonathon awoke the next morning, the first thing he saw was the morning sunlight coming in his room. He silently thanked God for them because he wasn't seeing them through bars. He sat up and ran his fingers over his face, got up and went over to the chair where his pants were draped over the back. He removed the pants from the chair and put them on. He then got out the pocket watch that was in his pocket, opened it up and looked at the time. He saw that it was nearly ten thirty; he looked rather shocked that he slept so late.

Jonathon went over to the mirror, looked at himself and picked up the water pitcher. He poured water in the bowl then put the pitcher back down. He splashed water on his face. When he saw the making of a beard on his chin, he smiled and went over to his closet. Soon he had picked out a plain blue shirt, got his boots and put them on. Then he went downstairs and looked around. He saw Mrs. Williams, the woman who owned the boarding house that he was renting from. She was standing beside the breakfast table and looking at him. She said in a cheerful voice, "My Goodness! Look who is finally up! I thought you were going to sleep the day away! Which you deserve after what you have been thought in these past few days thanks to that awful Judd Larrabee."

He smiled like the gentle giant he was and goes over and asked, "Is there anything left for breakfast? I am hungry."

She looked around the table and said. "Mercy me, yes! Mister Lauden and Nancy don't eat near as much as you Jonathon."

He looked around and saw biscuits with Strawberry Jam, bacon and fluffy pancakes. He said, "Well, I best get to eating if you don't mind."

Mrs. Williams smiled a mile wide and said, "Land sakes, you sit down here! I do need to go make some more pancakes, these have a bit cold! Won't take no more than a song! Now, you just eat what we got here, and I'll be right back!" Jonathon smiled at his kind landlady and pulled back the chair, sat down and started munching on the biscuits and bacon.

After a little while, Jonathon had a dainty coffee cup in his hand with a pink rose on it; he sipped the last of coffee in it then said, "I just thought I should tell you, I am thinking of leaving Drywood. I have enough money from working for the past month or two."

She smiled at him and said, "Oh, Jonathon, we would hate for you to leave, you're such a part of the town now."

He smiled and put down the cup then said, "Thank you kindly, but I'm itching to move on."

She stood up and started to remove the dishes. "Of course you are, you are still a young man. If you are going to move, you should do it while you can."

He smiled and said. "Well, I'm not going today ma'am."

She started to go into the kitchen, but stopped and said, "I'm sorry if that sounded like it did. You just stay as long as you want to, Jonathon!"

He stood up from the table and said, "Thank you ma'am, I think I'm just going for a walk now around town."

She nodded her head and replied, "You just go on and enjoy the day."

He turned, went to the door and went outside. He looked around the town and walked down the sidewalk further into town. Jonathon looked at the wagons with families coming in to go through, or to settle down and swell the town's population. He stopped and looked at a wagon in front of the dry goods store. He recognized the wagon as belonging to a ranch not far from town and figured that they were getting supplies to go on another cattle drive. He thought momentarily about asking them if they could hire him on, but thought better of it; he was no ranch hand.

Jonathon then saw a stagecoach coming. He knew the driver was bringing in the money for the bank. He saw another passenger and he knew that was a bank guard. The guard saw an gunslinger down the road but the guard didn't worry, the gunslinger was hired for extra insurance. He saw one of the saloon girls walking down the street. He looked across the street and looked at the local jail when he just has spent the past few days and he shook his head, glad he was out of there. He kept on walking until he was at the end of town and looked and saw the ranch where the wagon was from and saw a big windmill out in front and he looked to the right of him and saw an old bum walking in the distance. He looked to the mountains behind the man and thought he saw someone trying to climb them.

Jonathon looked up at the sky and saw the rumbling grey clouds coming in so he turned around and thought he better head for cover and the nearest building he could see in the saloon. The name tacked on a board swinging in front said 'Mad Dog saloon'. He shrugged his shoulders and went in. He looked around the room and saw the bar set up to the right of him, a bartender in a red vest was cleaning glasses and looking out at the four men sitting at a table playing a game of cards. Jonathon could feel the cold wind fly by him the further he went in. He walked up to the bar and the bartender asked, "What will you have?"

It has been a long time since Jonathon had a drink. Yes, the last drink he'd had been in Tennessee. He was messed up after he saw his brother get killed on the last day of the war. Jonathon looked at the bartender and answer, "Whiskey." The bartender put down a shot glass and poured him some of the strongest liquor the saloon had.

Jonathon looked around and he saw a "Wanted" poster on the back wall, beside the mirror with green itching outline on the glass. The picture is of a man with a long sharp nose, small eyes and a weird mustache and the name below said-'Richard Shaw-wanted for train robbery.' He looked away from the poster. He looked at his whiskey, and then drank it down quickly. He put the empty glass down and said, "More, please."

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

While Jonathon was in the saloon, Alice watched the last of the little rainfall that the town had got fall on the ground. She was sitting in the screened in porch of her Aunt's house. She stood up, put on her little grey hat and took a breath. She then went outside. She saw the one room schoolhouse in the middle of town. The building was painted white; it doubled as the church. Alice knew that because she saw a tall steeple. The children were out for recess so she saw them playing, some playing tag and some playing baseball. She smiles and continued her walk.

The dirt flew around her white dress and she groaned at her decision to wear white for the day. The children stopped playing while she walked up to the school. Alice went in and saw a tall, black-haired woman in a classic black top and a grey skirt. The woman smiled when she saw Alice. "Come in. I'm Maude Cobbler, how may I help you?"

Alice smiled at the woman and answered, "Hello, My name is Alice Beninford. I'm here to take the teacher's exam."

Maude smiled and asked Alice. "I assume you finished your schooling."

Alice nodded her head and replied, "I did."

The woman turned around and went to the back of the school room. She picked up three large books. "You need to study these book. They are books on spelling, arithmetic and history, and then come back when you think you have studied enough. I'll be glad to give you the test."

Alice took the books from Miss Cobbler and smiled kindly at the woman. "Thank you."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIII

A few hours later, Jonathon sat at one of the poker table watching the sun dip in the sky; he had an empty whiskey shot glass sat in front of him. But he didn't care, he really wasn't interested in getting drunk. He was looking around at everything and everybody around him. He saw the saloon girl he saw on the street earlier. He looked over at the piano and wondered where the player was. He saw a lonely guitar beside the piano. He saw a tambourine sitting in a chair beside the guitar. Jonathon then looked up and saw a deer head on the wall; he smiled. He was going to have them one of these days, only it would be the head of a moose.

Jonathon barely noticed two men who came into the saloon. The strangers walked over to the bar and ordered whiskey. When they get them, one of the men nodded toward the table that sat behind Jonathon. They sat down, drank their whiskey shots then moved closer to one another. "I don't know why we just didn't rob that stage."

The other one looked around to make sure no one overheard. He whispered back to his partner, "Keep you damn voice down! Richard don't want it that way. Says too many things can happen in an open area like that so that's why he wants to do it on the train. Closed in space. few people."

The other crook looks around and then asks, "When?"

His friend stood up, went to the bar and yelled at the bartender for a bottle. Then the bartender gave it to him. The crook sat back down. He poured himself a shot then, when he drank it, put the glass down. "tomorrow." They didn't think anybody over heard but Jonathon did.

Jonathon watched the piano player come and start playing a tune while the crooks just got drunk.


	28. Chapter 28 Sheriff Terell

**A/N-Happy St. Patrick's day! I put a little 's day tie in inside the story, see if you can find it and let me know.**

Three men were on horses in the middle of the desert not far from Drywood. Two of the men were from the saloon, the tall man sitting on the horse in the middle was a man by the name of Richard Shaw, the one wanted for train robbery. One of the other men had a five o'clock shadow along with his mustache, a tan hat and a red handkerchief around his neck, as the other men did. The man with the five o'clock shadow asked, "When are we going to rob this train?"

The other man on the horse right of Richard Shaw, spits out his chewing tobacco then said in a sarcastic voice, "We thought we would let you get over that hangover, Eddie boy."

Eddie looked at him with a look that could kill then he said in just an equally hard sarcastic voice, "Thank you Jeff."

Richard rolled his eyes at the banter then he grunted then said, "We'll go when I say."

They just sat on their horses watching the train.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The train going though Drywood looked on the outside just like any other ordinary train. The powerful engine, the three wooden passenger cars carrying people of different classes; they separated the passengers like lambs from sheep. Richard looked at the train cars approaching them, and he pictured the money being held on it. He looked at the observation car and he told his two partners in crime, "We need to get on this train before it starts rolling so Jeff, you go riding up the right of it, stat calling out somebody's name like you are wanting somebody on the train, get everybody's attention and you Eddie go on the left of it quietly and get on. I'll get on it like I always do."

Jeff and Eddie nod their heads, take out for the train and Richard stayed back and watched them, a sinister smile comes on his face then he rode off after the train. His horse, which was a paint horse and considered one of the fastest in this side of the country...at least that what he had heard when he stole the horse four years ago, snorted at Richard when he hit his side with the silver spurs.

When the horse made it even with the car, Richard stepped out, grabbed hold of the handle bars and pulled himself on the steps. He took a moment and steadied himself, took a breath then went inside the car. He looked out the window and saw the desert . He saw nothing but sand, the occasional tumbleweed and cactus; he sneered because he knew after this job he could go to places and see other more pleasing sights.

Richard knew that his partners would be there when he opened the door, they had done 20, 25 of these jobs. Sure enough, when he opened the door to go to the next car, there stood Jeff and Eddie with smug smiles on their faces then they turned around and opened the door to the car where they thought the money was being held. They did see plenty of money bags all around but they didn't expect to see the same gunslinger who was guarding the stagecoach and the sheriff of Drywood. He also had his deputy with him; the deputy had a shotgun aiming right for Richard and his friends.

The sheriff was a grey haired old man with a grey beard to match who still had a youthful twinkle in his eyes, though it did not match his hard skin. His badge gleamed in the would be robbers faces as he said, "Glad to see you, Mister Shaw." The lawman smiled at the man he recognized from the wanted poster. "I know you and your buddies don't know me but I'm Sheriff Terrell, I'm here to take ya'll down to our little local jail."

The deputy went over and took the guns from the three men.

Richard stuttered, "H...how did you know?"

Terrell picked up his scruffy old brown hat that sat on a nearby chair and he put it on his head with ease as he answered, "Let's just say I got a hunch."

The men who had just been arrested got a look of defeat as Terrell and the deputy slapped cuffs on them.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIII

A few hours later, at the sheriff's jail, Sheriff Terrell sat back in his chair behind the desk. His hat was tilted forward on his head and his feet lay on to of his desk. An empty pad of paper lay on his desk with a pencil nearby and a lizard crawled around seemingly unnoticed by the "sleeping" sheriff. He heard a knock on the door, Terrell scooted back his hat and he said, "Come in." The door opened and there stood Jonathon who looked around the office. He took it all in since he didn't really take notice of the place while he was in it before; he had his mind on other things.

He noticed that the office was fairly large, even if you wouldn't think so looking at the building from the outside. There were two jail cells. Richard Shaw was in the one he saw first. Richard was just casually looking around, trying to make it seem as if he's not worried at all. He just looked up at the large spider web at the top of the cell bars. Then Jonathon looked over and saw Richard's partners in the jail cell on the right side of the wall. He could see the panic in their eyes.

Jonathon looked at the broom leaning against a post in the middle of the room and then at the growing dust on the floor. There was a bookshelf right across from the sheriff's desk with a few books, a potted plant and an umbrella hanging from the top of the bookshelf. He looked at an empty pail that they must use to haul the water in, most likely from the well behind the jail cell. He looked at the sheriff. Terrell spoke before Jonathon could. "Nice to see you Jonathon."

Jonathon walked on in and almost stepped on the coiled up rope on the floor beside the desk. "See you have company." He looked at Mister Shaw and his partners and then back at the sheriff.

Terrell looked at the two cells. When he looked at the cell on the right, the sun's beams hit his eyes. He turned around and said, "Yeah, but they'll be leaving soon."

Jonathon nodded his head then walked around the room, saw the wanted poster of Richard and asked, "Shouldn't you take that down now?" Terrell nods his head and gets up to go get coffee off the wood stove, gets a cup and pours some then nods his head and says, "Yeah."

"Well, I only came in to say goodbye. I'm leaving town." Jonathon then went to the door, opened it. However, before leaving, he asked the sheriff, "How did you get him?"

Terrell slowly turned and sat down with his cup in his hand and blew air over the cup to cool down. "Somebody told me about it last night as I was standing outside my door...but I didn't see the person being there was no moon out last night, and the informant was in the dark ally next to the jail."

Jonathon turned and looked at his friend then asked, "So you didn't see him at all?"

Terrell shook his head and answered, "Nope, all I know is he's about your height and weight. Couldn't recognize him by his voice either, he had it disguised."

"There's a lot of men like me." Jonathon said.

Terrell nodded his head and said, "Yep, Tom O' Malloy is the first one to come to mind."

Jonathon stated to close the door then Terrell spoke up, "We'll miss you around here, Jonathon."

Jonathon was silent for a few minutes and then said, "Take care, Sheriff."

Jonathon closed the door. As he did so, Terrell whispered, "Take care, Jonathon."


	29. Chapter 29 A Dark Day in Drywood

{ Jonathon thought he was going to leave town. He had his bag full of his clothes in his hand as he walked to the town stables to get a horse. He looked around he town and took in the sights for the last time. He looked at the saloon; the Mad Dog saloon that he took refuge in that day when it rained on him. He then looked up and saw an eagle flying overhead. He looked ahead and saw the same saloon girl that he saw walking down the street that day and recalled that her name was ...Ellen, he thought?

Jonathon then looked at the town bank which he had never been in; he then crossed the street and looked at the sheriff's office. When he started to put his foot down on the dirt road, he heard a woman screaming, The sound he heard came from the left of him. It also sounded as if it came from the alley. Jonathon started running as fast as he could. When he got to the alley and ran down it , he saw a woman laying in the dirt. He couldn't see her face as she had it turned away from him, but he recognized the drunken hobo, a "gentelman"...if you could call him that, was known as Ol'Dave. The man was always dirty and drunk. Dave was zipping his pants up. One look at the woman's torn dress and the way she was curling up in a ball, trying to get away from the drunk, and Jonathon knew what had happened.

Jonathon leaped and grabbed Dave by the collar. The drunken bum gave a yell and tried to run away like a frighten dog. Jonathon then heard a noise and looked back: he saw Ellen running towards him and the young woman on the ground. Ellen took one look at the situation and ran to the traumatized woman on the ground and threw her own cloak over the woman, to give her some privacy.

Dave screamed, his speech slurred, "Hey! Let me go! I ain't done nothin'! She asked for it!"

Ellen stood up and slapped Dave so hard that she left a small hand print on his face , and said, "No, she didn't! I've seen this woman around town, and she wouldn't give you the light of day!"

Jonathon then asked, "Did she also ask to be bleeding from her head?" He looked at Ellen with fire in his eyes and said, "Go get Doc Braddish."

The young woman turned and ran as fast as she could down to the doctor's office. When Jonathon looked down at the woman to check on her, the horrible bum took a chance and bolted away from the scene. Jonathon would have gone after him, but he was too concerned about the woman lying on the ground; she was still unconscious but he recognized her face...the young woman he saw at the train station, the face that was the reason he came all these hundreds of miles...she was here and laying on the ground bleeding from a brutal attack.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

A few hours later, Alice laid in bed with a bandage wrapped around her head covering around the slight head wound. Her Aunt Bethel sat in a chair next to her bed on the right side with an extremely worried look on her aged face. When the door opened, Bethel turned to see a nurse entering the room. The nurse checked Alice's vitals and began writing down some information. As the nurse did this, Alice began to stir awake. When they heard the soft moans coming from Alice, Bethel and the nurse looked at each other. "I'm going to go get the doctor." The nurse said, then left the room and hurried down the hall.

The elderly man with silver-grey hair came into the room and looked at Alice. First, he picked up her wrist to feel her pulse, then checked her eyes, and finally listened to a few more of her groans. He was relieved when Alice opened up her eyes, as he'd been more than a bit worried about her.

Doctor Braddish looked at Bethel and asked her with sympathy in his voice, "Ma'am, would you please go outside while I fully check the patient?"

Bethel started to protest, but the nurse tenderly took her by the arm than softly said, "Come on." The two men then went outside and sat down in the hallway on the bench.

Bethel said, "I hope she will be all right."

The nurse looked at her and said, "I'm sure she will be."

Just then the doctor came out. Bethel and the nurse stood up. The doctor said, "Your niece will be all right. She received a mild concussion, but I'm confident that she will fully recovery. She is complaining of a headache s prescribing a mild headache medicine. I'll go get them now. Please, come with me Nurse Jacobs."

The nurse and doctor started to leave, but doctor Braddish stopped and turned to Bethel and said, "She is experiencing some memory loss, just be patient with her."

Bethel nodded her head then went back into Alice's room.

Alice stretched her arms out for her aunt and they hugged. Alice hesitated and then said softly, "I don't know what happened; I don't understand Auntie."

Bethel looked at her with sympathetic eyes and replied, "Don't you worry about it, Alice; you just tend to getting better."

Alice smiled at her but then her eyes go to the window next to her hospital bed then after a few minutes, her face paled and she closed her eyes, the scene was coming back to her full force. Knowing how the public dealt with such things, Alice knew she could not let out that she finally remembered everything. Instead, she simply screamed silently to herself, _"That awful man! Oh, all the horrible things he tried to make me do! What he did..."_ Alice turned over in bed and tried to cover her face with the sheet.

"Alice..." The nurse came back in the room with the pain medicine.

Alice took the medicine while she continued to have thoughts run through her head._ "I'll have to be sure I never speak of this, or everyone will blame me. If they knew, I'd be ashamed to show my face!"_

After the nurse left, Bethel continued talking to Alice assuring her that everything was all right.

{{{{{{{{{{

Jonathon walked around town in almost a daze. All t hat was on his mind was the young woman called Alice; he'd asked around and found out her name. He couldn't believe that attack she endured tha very morning. It made him angrier that the drunk who was responsible had gotten away, though he knew from experience how people wrongly held the woman responsible when a man attacked her. It wasn't right; it wasn't fair, but there was nothing he could do but pray that someday things would change. For now all he could do was to make sure he did not blame her. That he made sure he set a better example for future generations.

Jonathon walked to the other side of town, almost where the schoolhouse was, but he didn't leave town. He had so much on his mind. He had planned to move on, to go to Minnesota, but that was before he saw Alice. He couldn't believe that the girl he saw in Beaver pass was here, in this town, only she was here...and she'd done been taken advantage of. He had so many thought, so many conflicting feelings he needed to work out.

**Please leave reviews!**

**Sand n' Sable**


	30. Chapter 30 Taking care of Alice

**A/N- I'm sorry it's been so long for this chapter, a lot of things have happened this summer, I had a nervous breakdown and was in the "hospital" for a week, then I was going to move to Dallas then plans fell through at the last-minute but here it is!**

Alice woke up in the dark , it took her a few moments to remember where she was but she did. She sighed then turned over to look outside the window. She saw the rain coming down, the only light that came into the room was when a stark white lightening bolt streaked across the sky which was often. The thunder boomed loudly but it doesn't even faze her, she just let her thoughts drift off, letting her get lost in them. Alice wondered about how her life had become twisted in the past few years. She tried to figure out how it happened; she even tried to blame Harold for it all, but...she couldn't. It was just life. She gave a heavy sigh the broke the silence in the room along with the loud thunder. She then got up and walked over to where the pitcher of water sat on a small table just a few feet from the window. Alice poured some water in the tin cup beside it then took a drink. Afterwards, she sat down in the chair beside the window . She stayed there for hours watching the rain, the lighting and listening to the thunder.

Finally, a few hours later, Alice stood up then started to get in her bed when she turned to the window then she turned her head to look out the window again. She saw the morning light trying to come through despite the rain and drab clouds. The door opened. Alice watched as the little nurse that was there yesterday entered the room; the nurse was checking on her . "Miss Bedington! You are not supposed to be out of bed."

Alice looked at her , waved her words away then said, "It's okay; I'm just fine." The nurse walked over, straighten the covers on the bed and picked up the empty glass pitcher as Alice lay down and said, "You have a visitor." Alice sighed. "Probably just my aunt."

"No ma'am," the nurse replied as the turned to leave, "It isn't her."

"Oh?" Alice said after climbing back into the bed and looked toward the door as the nurse left. She got a perplexed look on her face as the saloon woman from Mad Dog saloon walked into the room moments later. Alice didn't know her name but she watched as the young woman looked around the half empty hospital room.

Alice was confused but she signaled for the saloon woman to come to the chair. As her visitor walked to the chair, the nurse came back into the room with a long match. "Excuse me Miss Bedington, but I'm going to light the lanterns. We usually don't light them during the day, but with the storm making it so dark today, we have to." Alice nodded her head and the saloon girl undid her cloak, waiting nervously for the nurse to leave. After the nurse disappeared, Alice asked the woman, "How may I help you?"

The woman who had put out her hand for Alice to shake replied, "I'm Ellen Guinn. I, uh, I'm one of the people who helped you when you were attacked yesterday." Alice gasped in horror and pulled the sheet to her mouth, putting the some of it in her mouth. Ellen hurried to reassure Alice everything would be fine. "Shhh ma'am, there ain't any need to worry. I know exactly what happened to you. I've seen plenty of those acts against women, some of it is caused by my type of business and other times...a lady like you just walks into the wrong place at the wrong time. I ain't planning on telling anybody anything."

Alice gave a deep sigh, and Ellen placed her small hands on top of Alice's hands.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

While Alice and Ellen talked, Alice's aunt was standing just outside the small hospital building, the two hospital room that held the patients were in the back, her Aunt opened the door and she looked at the young nurse who also had to be the secretary , the young woman looked up at the woman who bore such a strong precense. She couldn't believe that this was the same timid woman yesterday who was so worried and scared for her niece but today was a different day. Bethel was dressed in her finest clothes; her silver white hair was in an elegant bun, and she was looking down on her with her piercing blue eyes.

The young women tried to put her intimidation to the side as she asked, "Yes ma'am? How can I help you?"

Bethel asked, with an air of coolness in her voice, "Where is he?"

"Who? The doctor?" The secretary/ nurse asked since she was unsure if the woman standing before her wanted to see a doctor or their only male patient.

Bethel rolled her eyes then said, "No, President Johnson. Of coarse, I want the doctor! Is he here or not?"

Bethel rolled her eyes and said, silently wishing people would stop and think before they spoke. "He's here ma'am but he isn't available."

Irritated, Bethel said, "Well, I need to go in!" Bethel proceeded to the door and opened it. Once the door was opened, she saw the doctor standing by the window and going over a medical book. "Doctor Braddish! We need to talk!"

The young secretary , who had jumped to her feet and ran to the door, said, "I'm sorry Doctor, I told her you were busy. She insisted on seeing you and just stormed in."

The good doctor put the book back down on his desk. "That's fine Daisy, just go back to your desk." Daisy quickly closed the door.

Doctor Braddish, irritated at Bethel's actions, snapped, "Miss Bedington ! You could have made an appointment to see me!"

"Oh, hush up doctor, there are just some things you don't make appointments for, and this is one of them. I'm here to talk about my niece."

He sat down behind his desk, "Alice is making a nice, full recovery from her concussion."

Bethel hit the floor with the applewood walking cane that she had. "I know that! Alice will be just fine in that area." She paused then said, "Doctor! I'm no fool! I saw the blood on her dress and how it was torn...I know the ugliness that she received!"

Doctor Braddish sighed. How he hated how right the woman was, even if she was being extremely rude and acting worse than a child. "Sadly you are right."

Bethel walked to the window on the other side of the room and watched the last few raindrops. "Alice might never recover from the memory of that...if she ever remembers..." She stopped talking and turned around. After a moment, she asked, "Doctor, I need to know myself. Will you keep this information to yourself, or do you plan to publicly humiliate my dear niece?"

He looked at her shocked and appalled, though at least he how understood what was driving the woman's childish behavior...fear for her niece. "Mrs. Bedington! I am a gentleman and I do not plan to diminish your niece. Now, I heard some rumors. The former doctor that was here did have loose lips; that's why he was let go, however, I am not. I assure you I was brought up by proper parents. I will do no such thing!" He then sighed and said quietly, "Maybe, someday society will change their attitude towards things like this."

Satisfied, Mrs. Bedington turned to go. As she reached the door, she thought on her behavior , turned back to the doctor. Softening her tone, she tilted her head slightly and said "Thank you." She then left the good doctor's office. A few hours later, the rain seemed to disappear.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Jonathon walked around town. He was deep in thought, as he ran his fingers through his hair. He felt the beard he was growing on his face becoming fuller. He walked from one end of the growing town to the other. He passed the Mad Dog saloon ; the jail where Sheriff Terrell was at. Jonathon also walked passed the mercantile where supplies for this town was sold, a dress shop, the town bank, the one room schoolhouse that double as a church on Sundays, the boarding house where he was staying at and the town's one hotel. Jonathon's thoughts were full of Alice; he was still unsure of what to do or say to her.

He looked at the town's small "hospital", he wasn't sure what to call it since it was just a bit bigger than the schoolhouse, then he kept on walking pass the smithshop and he kept on walking until he got out to the cemetary. He looked around at the old, simple headstones; some were in the shape of crosses, some were blocks wood with the deceased name on it...he saw from the dates that some lived long lives but still...there was babies...children. He shook his head.

He looked up at the sun, he could tell it was noontime; he scratched his head then walked over to the hospital, went in and saw the same nurse that he saw when he helped bring Alice in, she was sitting behind the desk.

She looked up at him then asked, "May I help you?"

He removed his hat and held on to it then cleared his throat then asked, "I...I would like to see Miss. Alice Bedington."

She nodded her head. "Come this way."

Jonathon followed her down the hall to Alice's room.

**A/N-Well, please tell me your thoughts!**

**Sand n' Sable**


	31. Chapter 31 Don't go into the woods

Jonathon watched as the nurse got up and then followed her as she walked down to the end of the hall where Alice's room was. "Please don't stay any more than 15 minutes."

Jonathon nodded his head and replied, "Yes ma'am."

The nurse smiled softly then walked back to her desk. Jonathon looked at the door with the number and letter on it-1-A then he knocked softly; a minute later he heard a tired, soft voice saying, "Come in."

He opened the door and saw Alice; she looked at him a little nervous and confused at first. Jonathon figured she assumed it would be the doctor or even the nurse, not a total stranger. She sat on her bed covered with covers. She pulled the covers clear up to her chest. Jonathon cleared his voice and said, "Hello ma'am, I'm Jonathon Garvey. I, um, was the man who tried to stop that robber who harmed you. I am sorry I didn't get there in time to stop him from hitting you with that rock."

Alice's heart raced and she wondered, _'Does he know? Oh Lord...' _Alice tried to gather her thoughts together and pointed to the wooden chair beside the window as she stuttered out, "P, Plea, please sit down m, mister Garvey."

Jonathon smiled and nodded than went over and sat down. He and Alice sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments then Jonathon said, "I, um, can't stay long ma'am. I just came by to introduce myself and to see how you were doing."

Alice smiled and slowly let go of the cover. She felt comfortable around this man...he looked somewhat familiar but how? She was sure that she had never seen him before. She nodded her head and said, "THank you mister Garvey. I might not be alive if you hadn't helped."

This time he smiled and said, "Well, I am just glad I was there for you ma'am, in the right place at the right time."

She smiled then, after a few minutes, asked, "Um, I understand that a young woman was also with you? Ellen Guinn?"

He looked at her then said, "Yes ma'am, she is a local...'worker'."

Alice blushed as she said, "I know what she is Mister Garvey, but I also know that she is a friend." He smiled at that and sat back in the chair. He shifted his feet around, and then Alice asked, "What is it that you do Mister Garvey?"

He rubbed his neck and said, "Well, I don't actually work now. I was just fixing to go on when I heard you..."

Embarrassed, she said, "Well, I'm sorry if I kept you from going someplace Mister Garvey, but I am glad you came by before you leave."

He cleared his throat and said, "Well, I, um, am not going. Just before...I came, I got word of a better job right here in Drywood so I think I am sticking around."

Alice smiled then said, "Well, I hope I'll be seeing you around Mister Garvey."

Jonathon stood up and said, "I'll hope to see you around Miss Beningford." He nodded slightly and then left. Once out in the hallway, he muttered to himself, "Now, why did I say that? I don't have any job. Jonathon, you need to think before you speak." He left the hospital muttering and shaking his head while the young nurse simply smiling, assuming he was a dear friend of the patient's and was just concerned.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town Dave, the man who raped Alice, was walking into the same piece of woods that Jonathon had lost Larrabee's furs in months ago, the place where people had gone in and...died for some unknown reason. But, with the arrest of Andrew Garrpe, that was settled wasn't it? Dave, who was drunk, stumbled down the same dirt path that led into the woods. He pulled out of his jacket, a small bottle that had no cover on it so you could just see a clear, brownish liquid and he pulled off the bottle cover with his teeth. He spit it out on the ground and took a long swallow.

In his drunken stupor, his feet got caught in the briar patch and he tumbled down the small hill over and over. It wasn't long before he reached the bottom and fell into a deep sleep. Dave didn't wake up until the middle of the night. When he woke up the small bottle that he held in his hand was practically empty. He cursed, but drank the last trickle of alcohol that came out of it anyway. He tried to stand up and realized...his feet were no longer on the ground.

He realized that he was being held in the air. He noticed the foul smell in the air and scrunched his nose. He dropped the bottle and tried to fling his arms out to see what was holding him. His hand hit something, but with the dark area of the woods covered by trees, thick with leaves and the black of night, he couldn't see a thing. However, he could hear very well and his eyes grew wide. A scream rant in the air and unsettled his nerves...down to the very core. Then he felt the...whatever it was...pulling him backward. His heat beat faster and his breath quickened. But then Dave didn't have to worry about it anymore because the...whatever it was...snapped Dave's head off and threw his lifeless body down in the ravine and screamed again.


	32. Chapter 32 Getting out & Getting a Job

It had been a few weeks since Alice was attacked, and she had stayed in her room most of the time. She was now sitting in her stuffed chair by the window and looking at the streaks of the mid-morning sun. She sighed, hit the arm of the chair in frustration, and then the door opened. Alice watched as her Aunt Bethel, dressed in a beautiful Emerald green dress with lace on the sleeves and the collar, entered.

Bethel had a shocked expression on her face and she said, "Alice! You should be in bed!"

Alice rolled her eyes, sighed and replied, "Auntie, it's been at two weeks! I'm tired of being cooped up. It's time to get out, or at least out of this room."

Bethel sighed and said, "I just wanted you to take your time and have an excellent recovery."

Alice stood up, turned to face her aunt, smiled and then gently said, "And I thank you Auntie but it's time I get on with my life. I can't go on staying in this room."

Bethel walked over and sat on the beautiful bench at the end of the bed. Looking at her niece, she asked as she put her beautiful apple wood can down, "What are you going to do my dear?"

Alice walked around her lavish room before she answered. "Well, I was studying to be a teacher before this mess happened and I don't see why I can't again."

Bethel nodded her head in agreement, gets her can then stood up, she said. "I agree whole heartily, why don't you come and join my tea party this afternoon?"

Alice laughed in disbelief, knowing who her aunt had invited. "I am not coming anywhere where that snooty maid Marion is; you know that."

Her aunt was baffled. "Why do you call her that?"

Alice smiled as she replied, "She is one of the snootist British export; she looks just like how Marion is described in Robin hood, but unlike the character, she is no woman."

Bethel gave her a mocked expression of shock before admitting Alice had a point, but added, "Well, I would normally agree with you, but it is her husband who is helping to build the new library in town which is desperately needed ."

Alice shook her head, refusing to budge. "It's settled. You go have your luncheon, and I'll go out and take a walk."

Her aunt looked at her shocked. "A walk! Alice, do you think you should jump into that so quick?"

Alice turned around and looked at her and put her fists on her hips, getting more than fed up with the woman's over protectiveness. "Auntie, what is so hard about taking a walk? It's not like I'm running all over town!"

"Humph" said Bethel, unwilling to admit she was being out of line as Alice was a full-grown adult. "I just figured you would do some studying."

Alice thought on that then said, "Well, I think I might do some, but I'm STILL going for a walk."

Bethel, seeing she was getting no where, shook her head, got up, and walked out. All Alice could do was shake her head and wonder why her aunt had to be so darn controlling.

{{{{{{{{{ ~~oOo~~ }}}}}}}}}}}}

Jonathon sat in a chair in front of Sheriff Terrel's jail, playing checkers with the lawman. The sheriff leaned back in his chair after making a move and watched Jonathon, who had his head and was lost in thought. Finally, the law man spoke up. "Jonathon? You studying that hard on your next move?"

That shook Jonathon out of his thought and he slapped his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry Sheriff, just have a lot on my mind."

The sheriff cocked his head then asked, "No word of a job?" He knew Jonathon was out of work.

Jonathon shook his head, "No, I'm wondering if I should just go on."

The Sheriff liked Jonathon and didn't want to see him leave town. Of coarse, he didn't know what to do to stop the man either. "Well, we'll miss you around here Jonathon; you've done a lot for his town...exposed that Judd Larrabee for what he is, helped Miss Beningford when she was attacked, and I suspect there was a few other things." The sheriff was thinking about the unknown person that had helped bring in the train robbers a few months ago. He couldn't help but smile a little, suspecting it might be Jonathon. Naturally, the lawman said nothing as he made a move on the checkers game.

Jonathon started to move his checker piece when he and the lawman heard a horse approaching. The looked up to see a beautiful brown horse with a black mane stopping in front of them. The rider jumped down. The gentleman was slightly older than the sheriff and put his hand out for the sheriff to shake.

"Pete," The sheriff smiled. "How are you?" He asked the question as the man also shook Jonathon's hand. "I'm fine, but, " he answered the sheriff, but kept his eyes on Jonathon, "I have some news that you might be interested in. I know you been looking for a job and well, I just may have one for you."

Jonathon looked at the sheriff then back at Pete then. "Well, what is it?"

Pete scratched behind his ear as he answered, "Well, you know they are building a new library at the end of town?"

Jonathon nodded. "Yeah, I heard but I also heard that they hired all the workers already."

Pete gave a snort. "Well, they did that, but the head guy did everything but chop their heads off this morning, told them they were lazier than a bunch of donkeys in Mexico! So, I was going around trying to round-up some more workers and I remember hearing that you are looking for a job; are you interested?"

Jonathon smiled widely. This was the best news he had all day. "I sure am! Let's go!"

Pete couldn't help but chuckle at Jonathon's eagerness. "Now, hold on, you're going to be working with a lot of bricks. Have you ever worked with them?"

Jonathon shook his head and admitted he hadn't. "No, but I'll sure learn, come on...see you around Sheriff."

Pete nodded his head towards the sheriff as he bade him goodbye then, taking his horses' reigns in his hand, walked down the street with Jonathon walking beside him until they reach the end of town.

**Sand n' Sable**


	33. Chapter 33 Tea Party

**A/N-This is, I suppose you could say a part 2 to the chapter I put up yesterday, I gave my beta a long chapter and we decided to half it . **

Alice was sitting in the same chair she was in earlier, studying the books that she school teacher gave her over a month ago. After awhile, she closed them and looked outside; she could hear the schoolchildren playing. She smiled, put the book down upon the small table that sat nearby and stood up. She went over to the dresser and, picking up her gloves that matched her dress, she put them on. She then turned and left the room.

When she closed the door to her room, she heard voices from down the hall. She knew who it was without even seeing; still, she tiptoed down the hall anyway. She looked around the corner and saw her aunt and guest sitting at a small round table in the living room. The table was covered with an elegant lacy tablecloth, and there was many different types of snacks on it: cookies, donuts, little cupcakes and such. Alice also saw little chicken sandwiches and a teapot. She saw the woman she and her aunt talked about earlier; Marion Strong, she wore a white and peach dress with a huge hat to match. Alice looked over and saw a small fire in the ivory-white fireplace; she knew it was still somewhat hot in September, but her dear aunt got cold at the small drop of temperature. Alice looked at the elegant paintings her aunt had in the room and the beautiful buffet table that was against a wall. Alice then heard Marion Strong ask Bethel a question.

"It was just terrible to hear about dear Alice; how is she, Miss Bethel?" Marion asked sounding as if she had a cold, even if she didn't.

Bethel gave a little smile and replied, "Alice is going to be just fine Marion."

Marion took a sip of her tea. "It was just terrible what happened to her! I almost fainted with the news when my father-in-law told me ! Dear me, what are these times coming to?"

Bethel mentally rolled her eyes. "Everything's fine now Marion." SHe answered as she picked up a cookie and took a small bite.

Marion feigned a sincere smile. "I am so glad to hear that. Do you mind if I say something dear Bethel?"

Bethel groaned inside knowing full well whatever this woman had to say it was, most likely, unnecessary. Still, for the sake of being polite, Bethel asked, "What is it Marion?"

Marion put down the dainty china cup and said in a low voice, "I heard that it was that awful, drunken bum...Dave whatever."

Alice's heart rate shot up and she covered her mouth as she listened. She had not realized who it was. She continued listening as Bethel then asked in a calm voice, "What?"

Marion nodded her head firmly then said, "Yes, and listen to this,_somebody's_ body was found in that old, abandoned section behind town. It was my butler, Henry, who found the body. He said that he was pretty sure that it was that Dave person. Dave had that strange marking on his hand you know. Oh, I also forgot to add that the body was found without his head...that's why Henry identified him by the hand."

Alice, who was still hidden from her aunt and Marion's view, had lowered her head as she felt a bit sick. She looked back up. In order to keep herself calm, Alice made herself look at the beautiful landscape picture above the table and continued to listen. Because she did not turn away, she heard Marion say, "That's why I worry so much about Alice, What if he hurt her?"

The way the woman said 'hurt' made Alice sick. She took a chance and looked around the corner at her Aunt and could tell that her aunt was glaring at Marion.

"Stop that now! I refuse to listen to such horrible gossip my niece! Now,..." She spoke in a dangerously low tone, one that made even Marion sit up and take notice, "...I told you before...Alice is fine and she will get even better." Bethel's tone told the other woman the conversation was definitely over. Alice turned and tiptoed to the front door. Just before she left, she heard her aunt call out, "Mary!" That was her aunt's maid.

{{{{{{{{{{{ ~~oOo~~ }}}}}}}}}

Meanwhile in a room over at the Mad Dog saloon, Ellen sat in her room at her dressing table looking at herself in the mirror. When her bedroom door opened and a man in a three-piece suit walked in. "Ellen, customers are down there, git yourself down thar and make 'em happy."

**Sand n' Sable**


	34. Chapter 34 Helping Ellen

When Ellen, the saloon girl who had helped Alice, heard her boss's order, something inside of her snapped and she stood up. Walking over to her boss, she looked him straight in the eye, even though the smoke from his smelly old cigar circled her like a rope. She took a deep breath and told him, "Go down there yourself! I'm leaving!" She then turned around and stormed away.

Her boss' cigar almost fell out of his mouth as he watched her go down the stairs. He couldn't believe what he'd heard or what he was seeing. When the patrons who were sitting around a round table playing poker looked up and saw Ellen coming out of the room, the grinned and expected her to walk over to them. They were all shocked when Ellen simply walked passed them and disappeared through the doors of the saloon.

Ellen looked up at the sun, breathed in the fresh air and then walked on down the boardwalk. She didn't care at all who was looking at her, whispering about her or making up gossip about her, all she knew was that she was now her own person...and she had just walked away from her old life.

She walked around town until she got to the schoolhouse. She looked around for children, but didn't see any of the students. At first she was puzzled, and then she remembered it was Saturday. She sighed. While she was pretty sure she wouldn't be welcome, she had half hoped she would be wrong. Since there was no school, she sat down on the wooden steps. Ellen had to think. She didn't know what she was going to do. All she knew was how to serve drinks and make men happy, and she didn't want that way of life anymore.

Just then she heard some footsteps coming, Ellen looked up and saw Alice. She had on a beautiful blue-white dress with matching gloves. The young woman cried out in surprised, "Miss. Alice!"

Alice smiled, "May I sit down with you?"

Ellen nodded politely and scooted over, "Sure thing, Miss Alice."

Alice smiled, and scolded her gently, "None of this Miss Alice, you're a friend, not my servant. We're both adults. Simply call me Alice."

Ellen smiled, grateful for Alice's kind words. "Okay, Alice it is."

Puzzled, Alice asked, "What are you doing here?"

At first Ellen didn't know what to say, but decided honesty was the best way to go. She took a deep breath and replied, "I quit my job at the saloon."

Alice's eyes widened and asked, "You did?"

Ellen nodded and said, "I don't know for certain why. I mean, I need to earn money. It...It's just that I didn't feel like working in that enviroment anymore. I mean, I couldn't take another minute of it."

Alice couldn't have agreed more. Working in a saloon was no place for a woman to be. "What will you do?"

Ellen stood up, walked in a semi-circle, and then turned around. "I don't know...sigh...I can't even read and write."

Alice, not really surprised at that, looked at Ellen sympathetically. She knew many adults in the same boat. "That's too bad."

Ellen then walked back over to the steps to the school and sat back down. "I should say I can write my name, but that's it. It didn't seem to matter much when I was living in the back hills of Kentucky, and Ma and Pa never thought much about book learning." The young woman sighed then Ellen said, "When I started doing...the saloon work," she shrugged her shoulders, "it still didn't seem to matter." She then admitted she wish she had learned to read and Alice's face lit up. "The want to learn is a start! Come on." She said as she stood up and signaled for Ellen t stand up with her. Alice turned around and took a few steps toward the school-house. "I have started helping the schoolteacher while studying for my exam. I have a key," She said fishing a key out of her pocket, "I have permission to go in anytime I need to." Alice put her hand on the knob, turned it and opened the door. "Let's go, your first class is about to begin."

Ellen looked at Alice in surprise. However, after a few moments, a slow smile came on Ellen's face. She couldn't help but giggle as she followed Alice into the schoolhouse.

(((oOo)))

Jonathon and his friend were celebrating; they had all got jobs at helping to build the town's library. There were seven men in total and they were going into the Mad Dog saloon to celebrate. All of them walked up to the bar. Jonathon looked at the bartender, who had stopped what he was doing and was now looking at the men. "Whiskey for each of us."

Jonathon looked at the man being the bartender. The gentleman wasn't the usual man who stayed behind the bar, and he wondered where the man was. "Where's Nels?"

The man looked at Jonathon and answered, "He won't be in for a few hours, some family emergency." He then put the shot glasses down for the men and poured them each a drink.

Jonathon picked up his glass and asked politely, "What's your name?"

One of the men who was drinking drank his shot pretty quickly and answered Jonathon's question in an Irish accent before the bartender had a chance to answer. "This be Timothy O'Miles, he be the owner of the bar. He usually keeps his smelly self in the back downwind."

Timothy looked at the drinking man and said in a growl, "Ya keep your remarks to ya' self Shane McDougal, I'm not in the mood. I got a bartender who seems to think he can just stroll in here at a leisurely pace and a gal who now thinks she's high and mighty! Stormed out of here and not more than an hour ago, the last thing I be needin' is your mouth going off in here."

Shane stared at the man and asked, "Who ye be talkin' about? The Ellen lass or the new one who looks like a leprechaun's whore?"

All the men laughed except Jonathon, he wasn't so sure about his new friend, Shane. That is, he was thinking he would be better off without him as a friend.

Timothy wiped a glass down, peered close at it to see if he cleaned it right then put it down then simply growled out, "Ellen." He picked up another shot glass.

Shane said another curse word , "I hate that! Ellen was a good 'un, but if the truth be told on Saint Paddy's grave, she was a saint to put up with the likes of you and that cigar ye have."

Jonathon would have laughed at that one except he didn't want to be thrown out of the bar.

Timothy growled out, "Whatever it be, but I will get that gal back, even if I have to drag her back! She don't belong any place but right here bringin' in me money...and some o' herself."

Jonathon watched the man's laugh heartily at that comment...through he kept quiet as he thought of Ellen and that day as she helped Alice in her distress.

(((oOo)))

Alice and Ellen came giggling out of the schoolhouse. Alice close the door, and then made sure the door was locked. "You did good on your first day. You learned how to read and spell more than both of us thought you would."

Ellen beamed, thrilled at her success so far. "I'm still not too sure about reading, but spelling seems easy to me, it's just putting letters together to make a word."

Alice took the key, put it in her pocket, patted her pocket and said, "That's a way of looking at it. That's good thinking Ellen."

As Alice and Ellen walked down the steps, Ellen said,

"I wish everything would be as easy as spelling, I don't have any place to stay, except the musty old saloon...and I don't want to go back there."

Alice thought about it, since she agreed, she replied, "And you shall not! Do you have anything you need to go back for?"

Ellen thought about it and answered, "I don't think so, I didn't have too many clothes, and what I did have all looked like this thing."

Alice looked at Ellen's little brown dress. It had no sleeves; it was low-cut to show off her...womanly figure. You could tell that she wore no corset. Alice smiled at her sympathetically and said, "Come with me. I have an idea."

Ellen looked at her, wondering what was going on, but she followed her down the street anyway.

A few minutes later, the women were standing in front of a beautiful, two-story house. Ellen looked at Alice, who smiled and said, "This is my aunt's house. I'm living with her. Come with me, but please be quiet. My aunt is supposed to be having an afternoon tea."

Ellen hesitated. She was sure Alice's aunt, and any company the woman might have, wouldn't want her there. She only moved when Alice assured her it would be okay, Ellen then nodded her head and followed Alice down some steps into the back garden, English Ivy vines covered the back brick wall which Ellen thought made the wall look quite nice. Alice opened a screen door that led into a hallway. Alice quietly whispered, "This leads to where the servants room are. We really only have one maid now; Mary is her name. You can stay in the extra room for now, I'll talk to my aunt about you using it on a long-term basis. It's not much, and it's a little stuffy and cold from not being used, but you can still use it."

Ellen's eyes lit up as Alice opened the door that led to the second room. Ellen gasped when she saw the room bathed in light from the window whose curtains were pulled to the side. There was a twin bed with a beautiful crotched bed spread on and it has a figure eight design. The room was small but it was nice, Alice went over and opened the window, fresh air came pouring in. Ellen smiled and exclaimed as she hugged Alice.

"Oh, it's more than I expected! Thank you Alice!"

Alice took her hands and said, "Now, let me go talk to my aunt. You stay here, get familiar with the room and then, if you want, take a nap. Oh, the outhouse is in back of the house, about 10 yard from the back door."

Ellen smiled as Alice walked out. It felt so good to be in a decent house with a decent bed: she just hoped she could stay for more than one night.


	35. Chapter 35 Help from Friends

Alice opened the back screen door to the kitchen and heard it creek as it did. She stepped inside and caught the door so it wouldn't slam. She looked around to see if Mary, their maid, was around but she wasn't. So Alice walked over to the kitchen door, quietly opened it. She heard voices coming from her aunt's tea room and knew it was that 'Maid' Marion and her aunty. She rolled her eyes then carefully closed the door; she did NOT care to see that woman as she would have to give a false smile and keep her mouth shut; it was hard enough to do that for Aunt Bethel. Alice looked around and saw a chair in the corner, her aunt bought the chair decorated with the fleur de lis, the symbol of New Orléans, so she sat down and waited for the woman to leave.

Alice heard some footsteps then a heavier set with the sound of the cane; Alice knew it was her aunt's. She heard Marion's snooty voice floating in the air, "Oh, thank you dear Bethel for the tea party!"

Alice rolled her eyes then carefully opened the door to look into the room; she could see through the crack. Her aunt was forcing herself to smile as she said, "Thank you for coming Marion."

Marion put out her gloved hand and the two women shook hands as Marion said, "We do need to do this again."

Bethel continued forcing herself to smiled. "We do. But for now, good-bye Marion."

Bethel closed the door and gave a heavy sigh. She then looked out the lace curtains; she saw the woman in the peach dress walked down the steps to the gate.

At the same time, Alice took a deep breath, stood up and opened the door all the way. She clapped her hand and said, "Nicely done aunty."

Embarrassed by getting caught, but relieved that their afternoon guest was gone, Bethel smiled and shooed her niece out of the parlor. Bethel then started to walk back in the tea room with her beautiful walnut cane helping her. She sat back down at the round table and picked up a small cookie and took a bite. Alice, who had not left the room, said, "Aunty, I have my first student."

Curiously, Bethel looked at her niece wondering what she was talking about. Alice walked a bit around the room as she continued speaking, "Do you remember the young saloon girl who helped me when I was in the hospital?"

Bethel thought about it. She did remember Alice saying something about it, but why talk about something so distasteful and what did that woman have to do with anything? Bethel nodded and replied, "Vaguely."

Alice cleared her throat then continued, "Well, I ran into her today and she told me..." she walked over to the window and looked out then turned around then said, "She told me she had quit, just...quit working at that...place Aunty! She stood up for herself and just left!"

Bethel had to admit that she was somewhat proud of the young woman, but what did Alice and her new student have to do with it?

Alice then told her, "Well, there is a problem...she has to do something else to support herself but...Ellen, that's her name, can barely read or write or she could before. That's what I am telling you Aunty, I gave her a few hours lesson in reading and am going to continue to doing so. She learned the letters I showed her and did as well as many of the students! I taught her Aunty! And she wants to continue learning! Though, I admit I don't know if I'll be doing it or the regular school teacher."

Bethel stood up and embraced her niece who was trembling with excitement, but then Bethel realized that Alice had more to tell her, "Congratulation Alice, I am so proud of you but...what else do you have to tell me?"

Alice pulled away and said, "Aunty, what makes you think there is something else?"

Bethel just looked at Alice, smirked then went back and sat down. Alice sighed and said, "All right, there's more. Ellen can't very well go back to the saloon even to get what meager belonging she has so..."

Bethel started to understand, "Alice..." Her niece interrupted due to the hesitant tone in her aunt's voice. "We have that extra maid's room that is in no use...oh please Aunty! She's already back there taking a nap; she's so tired after our long lesson."

Bethel stomped her cane. "No! I'll not have it!"

Alice puts her hands on her hips, looked at her aunt with determination and said, "Aunty! I'm surprised at you! You're always saying how a woman should improve herself, and Ellen wants to do just that! However, she needs help to do it!"

Bethel sighed and sat down, took a deep breath and told her niece to continue.

"Aunty, she's go nowhere else to go; she is still learning how to read and write. She needs help and, " Alice's voice grew firmer as she said, "Why can't we help her? After all, she helped me. If..."

Bethel put her hand up and gave in. "Don't go on; she can stay."

Alice grew excited and began to hug her aunt.

Bethel smiled when Alice hugged her. "I don't like this, but you have a point. The young woman does need help, and she did help you. This being the case she can stay, but just until you can teach her and she can get on her own two feet."

Alice hugged her Aunt Bethel again. When Alice let go of her aunt, the older woman said, "I want to go meet this...lady."

Alice quickly thought about it and nodded her head. Of course her aunt would need to meet Ellen, if she was to be allowed to stay in her house. "Of coarse." Alice replied as she followed her aunt who was now heading towards the spare bedroom. They went down the hall, into the kitchen then went into the service quarters. Alice looked at her aunt, and then gently knocked on the door. They heard some feet moving around inside and heard Ellen call out, "Just a minute." A moment later, Ellen appeared at the door.

Ellen stood in her small brown saloon dress. Bethel looked up at her and down. Ellen, uncomfortable with the judgemental way the woman was looking at her said, "H...How do you do ma'am?"

Trying to smooth things out, Alice said, "Ellen, this is my aunt Bethel Beningford; Aunty, this is Ellen Guinn."

Ellen nodded her head and stood back while Bethel walked in, sat on the bed and looked around the room. "My niece tells me that you need a place to stay for a while."

Ellen nodded her head.

Bethel wasn't impressed and said, "Dear lady, I asked you a question and I expect an answer with your voice; do you need a room or not?"

Ellen cleared her throat and replied, "Yes ma'am, I do."

Bethel smiled and said, "That's better. Now, my niece is also giving you lessons, correct?"

Ellen looked at Alice and smiled wide, "Yes ma'am."

Bethel shook her head. "Young lady, do not look at Alice when answering my questions. It makes it look as if you're looking to her for answers, and a woman should know the answers without looking for help from anybody."

She again looked her visitor up and down. She did not try to hide how she felt about Ellen's dress. There was disgust in her voice as she said, "You shall not stay here dressed in that...that thing!" She pointed to Ellen with her cane, indicating the dress and said, "That thing needs burned! Maybe Mary can find you some of her old things and, as for your lessons, I expect a review of your lessons at promptly seven o'clock every night...just so I can be sure how much you are learning."

Ellen smiled, excited at the thought she was being given a chance to start over. "Do you want me to review now?"

Bethel shook her head. "No, the party I had has worn me out a bit. I would like to go rest. Later thought, we'll do it later."

Bethel looked at Alice and said, "Alice, I shall leave you to your student...I'm going to my room." Bethel stood up to leave, looked at Alice, and actually smiled, but only for Alice to see. Her smile quickly disappeared as she left the room. Alice and Ellen then looked at each other and due to the look on Alice's face, burst in nervous giggles as they sat on the bed.

A few hours later, Jonathon and his new friends, which included Shane McDougal, came walking or stumbling out of the 'Mad Dog' saloon. One of the drunken men looked up at Jonathon and asked though slurred words. "W...why you be no...t dr...drinking, um why d...did you no...t drink Jonathon? Can it be that y...ye can...not hold ye self against a...Irishman?"

Jonathon just smirked and replied, "Oh, I could probably drink you all under the table, but I woke up a few too many times in jail cells so I cut back on drinking." That earned a few chuckles from his friends.

A few more men stumbled through the saloon doors. Somehow Jonathon herded them all down the boardwalk toward the town's motel. When he heard some heavy feet coming out of the saloon, he turned his head back and saw the saloon's owner, Timothy O'Miles stomping out. He had a fresh cigar in his mouth and was blowing smoke in the air like Indian signals. Jonathon didn't say a word to him; he didn't care to talk to him and the burly man didn't notice him. Jonathon watched as the man kicked up some dirt as he walked across town. Jonathon turned his attention back to the drunken men about him, rolled his eyes at his predicament, but only smiled and then helped his friends on down to the hotel.

A little while later Jonathon came walking out of the hotel with his jacket slung over his back. He started back to the boarding house where he was staying at. He stopped in front of a house and stretched his back. He looked at the sun going down then he turned his head and saw two women in the window of the house in front of him. He started to go on when he saw Timothy O' Miles again. For some reason, that made him look back at the women he had just seen. Jonathon recognized one of them as Alice as she sat down in a chair by a small round table. He watched as the other woman, whom he recognized as Ellen, the former saloon girl, also sat down in another chair. He looked at O'Miles as the man angrily stomped around town. Jonathon looked back at the women and watched as Alice stood up and walked over to the window, closing the shutters as she did so. Jonathon smiled and kept on walking toward the boarding house.

Inside Alice's house, Ellen and Alice watch as Mary the maid, built up a small fire in the fireplace. Ellen who was wearing a modest chess that Mary had given her said, "Thank you Mary, for the dress!"

Mary lit a match and threw it on the logs and the kindling she's put with the logs. Upon hearing Ellen thank her, Mary turned her head and replied, "I'm glad ye like it; does it fit well?"

Ellen couldn't resist. She stood up, gently smoothed her dress down, and then turned around in it. "It's just perfect!" Alice, who had sat back down once the shutters were shut, stood back and walked over to Ellen. "And the colors suit you! Dark blue with the white floral design."

Small droplets of tears came to Ellen's eyes. "I think this is the first dress I have ever worn like this." Mary and Alice looked at each other and shared a smile.

Ellen looked at Alice and asked, "Oh, and do you think I did fine with your aunt?" Alice nodded her head and said, "I think she was very pleased, especially when she realized how much you learned today."

Mary spoke up, "If there isn't anything more ma'am, I think I'm going to get ready to turn in."

Alice shook her head and said, " That will be fine Mary. I think we can all do with a good night's sleep."

Mary turned to leave only to have Ellen ask, "Oh Mary, what is your last name? I didn't hear earlier."

Mary smiled and answered before she left the room, "McDougal ma'am, Mary McDougal."

Ellen turned to Alice and exclaimed, "Oh, she's so nice!"

Alice nodded her head and said, "You best go on to bed to get ready for a new day of learning tomorrow!"

"Oh, I think I'm too excited to sleep, but I could use a bath...do you think your aunt would mind if I took a bath?"

Alice shook her head then said, "Nonsense, aunty won't mind that at all and Mary will be fine with waiting until tomorrow night to take her bath, you just go ask her where the bathtub is for back there. I'm going to stay here to get lessons ready for in the morning."

Ellen smiled then said, "Good night then."

"Night." said Alice as she watched Ellen leave the room. She then sat down with her teacher's books that the teacher at the school-house loaned her to happily get ready for Ellen's lessons for the week.

**A/N-I would like to send my thanks to my beta for this chapter, she helps me so much.**

**I also have a dear friend, Ultimatelaurafan, her grandmother is in the hospital with heart problems. Please remember her.**

**Sand n' Sable**


End file.
